Review of DPR of All New Housing Projects for Government Employees
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended a review of the detailed project reports (DPRs) of all ongoing housing projects for government employees in New Delhi. It also highlighted a stock shortage in the general pool residential accommodation (GPRA) and delays in the completion of various redevelopment projects in the Capital. The parliamentary panel said the delays in redevelopment projects were caused by “lack of proper planning by the housing and urban affairs ministry”. In its report presented on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha on the functioning of the directorate of estates - which comes under the housing and urban affairs ministry - the parliamentary panel observed that several redevelopment projects for government accommodation were delayed. The delays, the panel said, were taking place because of a hold-up in the shifting of utilities; relocation of schools, community centres and dispensaries; obtaining approval from Delhi’s forest department and other agencies for replantation of trees; and multiple public interest litigations (PILs). “The committee feels that due to lack of proper planning on the part of the ministry, there has been an impasse,” the PAC report says. The panel recommended that preparatory work for relocation and shifting should take place simultaneously to ensure timely completion of the projects. “The committee, therefore, recommends that the DPRs of all the projects be reviewed, specific time frames prescribed for each task be carried out, and appropriate measures be taken urgently for expediting all necessary approvals,” the PAC said. To provide housing to its employees, the Centre is carrying out the redevelopment of seven government residential colonies in south Delhi - in Sarojini Nagar, Nauroji Nagar, Srinivaspuri, Kasturba Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Mohammadpur and Thyagraj Nagar. Close to 25,000 housing units along with a mega commercial complex is proposed as part of the ?35,000 crore GPRA redevelopment projects, including a 14km elevated corridor around these colonies. The committee has asked the ministry to inform it about the project-wise steps taken, along with timelines, for augmenting the housing stock. The PAC said there is a shortage of about 36-37% in GPRA housing stock even as the demand for houses dropped from 98,789 in 2008 to 82,803 in September 2020. It also asked the ministry to inform it about the reason behind a sharp variation in the number of houses to be added to the government’s housing stock. As per the report, the ministry in August 2020 informed the committee that 4,599 houses were added and 30,000 were in the pipeline. But in July 2021, it said that 6,254 houses were added and around 26,000 were lined up. The committee also recommended geo-tagging of all government properties to ensure better monitoring and updating housing stock on real-time basis.
Tags : News/Views Lok Sabha Housing units Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Commercial Complex Government Employees DPRs GPRA Housing Residential Colonies