1 billion people living in slums: UN report
Close to one billion people live in slums across the world and this figure is expected to double by the year 2030. According to a United Nations report on 'The Challenge of Slums' brought out under the U.N. Human Settlement Programme, it meant that almost half of the world's urban …
Shot in the arm for Uttaranchal Tourism
Hopes of Uttaranchal developing into a tourist attraction gained momentum with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board and the Ramnagar Eco Park Pvt. Limited ( REPL) for developing the Rs 512 crores Corbett Country Tourism Destination over 325 hectares of picturesque land at …
Green signal for underground parking near Bangla Sahib
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in its monthly meeting gave the go-ahead for building an underground parking space near Bangla Sahib Gurudwara. The project on a build-operate-transfer basis will be funded and maintained by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). NDMC owns the land which has been lying vacant …
L-G seeks public participation in Master Plan of Delhi 2021
In a welcome move the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) B L Joshi has instructed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to involve public participation while drafting the Master Plan 2021. DDA presented a conceptual framework on the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) to the L-G. "I have asked the DDA to make …
Sonia Vihar delay blessing in disguise for VK residents
The delay in the much-awaited Sonia Vihar water treatment plant may be drawing public's ire for the government, but it certainly is a "blessing in disguise" for Vasant Kunj residents. Now they are hoping that the renewed delay in the project would buy them more time to get the water …
No demolition in illegal colonies, says CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said he had asked the Urban Housing Ministry not to demolish any illegal colony in the state, keeping in mind the interest of the people who had invested their life's savings in building houses in them.
Govt allocates Rs 40 cr for unauthorised colonies
Delhi government's urban development department allocated Rs 40 crore for work in unauthorised colonies. A sum of about Rs 10 crore has been released to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation (DSIDC) for development work. In a meeting, chaired by urban development minister …
Call to adopt Chinese way to project heritage
The Chinese have a proactive strategy to preserve and project their glorious heritage and modern cultural undertaking by means of private and public industrial and business firms, and we can adopt this model in our own surroundings. This was stated by Chairman Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) Iftikhar Arif at …
Baalu seeks rs 64,000 cr for highway project
The Union road transport and shipping ministry will seek Cabinet approval for a Rs 64,000-crore project to develop about 41,000 km of national highway. Of the 65,000 km of national highways, 24,000 km were covered by special schemes like Golden Quadrilateral and East-West and North-South corridors (14,000 km) and National …
Rural roads to stretch out on $400-m WB aid
The World Bank has approved a $400-million package for the development of rural roads in India. The main objective of this project is to provide increased access to markets and social services by the rural population. The loan will support the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
PUDA plans to regularise illegal colonies
Swinging into action following police action on unauthorised colonisers in the state, the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) has decided to finalise a comprehensive policy regarding regularisation of
Trilateral Highway project to begin in early 2004
India, Myanmar and Thailand decided to commence work on a 1,360-km highway linking the three Asian neighbours early next year. External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha announced massive investments on the project after an extended morning meeting with his Thai and Myanmar counterparts - Mr Surakiart Sathirathai and Dr U Win …
Rural tourism: its a niche that India can offer
Rural India has much to offer to the world. Rich in traditions of arts, crafts and culture, rural India can emerge as important tourist spots. Those in the developed world who have a craze for knowledge about traditional ways of life, arts and crafts will be attracted to visit rural …
Govt plans new-look Walled City
The Urban Development Ministry (UDM) will construct a multi-level underground parking lot to solve the parking woes of the Walled City area. The proposed parking lot, scheduled to come up below the parade ground, will start getting shape from January. Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been asked to prepare a …
Five-year road tax challenged
The Automobile Association of Eastern India (AAEI) moved a petition in Calcutta High Court, challenging the state governemnt's decision making it mandatory for four-wheeler owners to pay road tax for a five-year period at a time.
MC helpless as houses come up on riverbed
Encouraged by the government's construction activity, encroachers along the Beas and its tributary Saketi khud have raised houses right on the riverbed, exposing residents to the risk of flash floods. These houses have become death traps, violating the High Court order passed in 1995 that forbade construction within 25 metres …
Panel may tell govt to denotify
A fact finding committee that toured the Kudremukh national park is all set to recommend denotification of the park to Karnataka government. The team comprised representatives of various organisations. The committee will recommend issue of title deeds to the hill tribes and others who have been cultivating lands here for …
