Residents file petition in top court
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15/05/2008
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Asian Age (New Delhi)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday posted for hearing in July a writ petition filed by the residents of Rajouri Garden challenging certain provisions of the 2020 Master Plan for Delhi as being "arbitrary", "unreasonable" and "violative" of the citizen's Fundamental Rights. A bench of justices Arijit Pasayat and P. Sathasivam said it would tag the matter along with other writ petitions filed on the issue. The petition filed by Sachin Sapra, president of the local welfare association submitted that certain provisions in Chapter 7 and 5 of the Master Plan for Delhi had the effect of allowing specified industries to operate in commercial centres, even if they are within the residential colonies. Such a provision will erode the residential character of colonies besides causing hardships to the residents, it submitted. According to the petitioner, the property tax classification adopted by the government in the new Master Plan had no nexus with the object sought to be achieved by it as it would only open Rajouri Garden and other residential colonies to fur ther commercialisation. The petitioner has also objected to the MPD treating Rajouri Garden, a private residential colony as a "deemed rehabilitation colony" and fixing lower standards for determining the mixed use and commercial use of the colony. It was claimed that such a classification would have the effect of opening up Rajouri Garden to unchecked and rampant commercial development.