House of cards
Resettlement schemes fail as slums multiply in Delhi-- a report.
Big tourism vs. ancient Egypt
Archaeologists seek a balance : An international meeting of archaeologists at Egypt is discussing how to reconcile the need to preserve ancient sites with the demands of Egypt's vital tourist industry. Last year about 4.8 million tourists visited Egypt, up 39 percent from 1998, according to official figures.
Call to save heritage
Officials today expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of Bhaktapur's 55-Window Palace and laid the blame for the delay in its restoration to differences between the Department of Archaeology, Bhaktapur Municipality and the donor nations. An UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace was built over three centuries ago and has …
Rlys asked to submit report on slum removal
The high court on Friday asked the railways to submit the action taken report regarding its order for the removal of slum clusters along the railway lines in the Capital. Simultaneously, a welfare association of slum dwellers moved a petition in the court requesting they be heard before any actionis …
Rs 3,400 cr ADB plan for Agra monuments
The Asian Development Bank is expected to finance a $1.2 billion (Rs 3,400 crore) development plan for the preservation of the three World Heritage monuments in Agra, namely Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri and the 'filing in of gaps in the infrastructure'.
Delhi is now part of Asian network to aid other cities
Can New Delhi, a city having a record of pathetic civic amenities, help other major Asian cities tide over their respective crisis of urban planning and development? Believe it or not, the other Asian Capitals including Tokyo and Beijing are looking towards Delhi for disaster prevention and crisis management.
Urban heritage body to adopt 3 buildings
The fate of three buildings of historical importance, located in the Walled City area is at last looking up with the newly reconstituted Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation deciding to adopt the Delhi College, Anglo Arabic School (both at Ajmere Gate) and the Old Stephen College at Kashmere Gate.
Baba Amte receives award
Baba Amte received the Gandhi Peace Prize for 1999 from President Mr K R Narayanan. The award is worth Rs 1 crore.
Long wait for water plan
It will take many years before a scheme to transport water from the Yangtze River to supply the mainland's arid northeast provinces of China is ready for implementation, said Water Resources Minister Wang Shucheng. Although the scheme has been on the drawing board for many years, Mr Wang said only …
Delhi govt to by 500 Leyland CNG buses
Ashok Leyland Ltd (ALL) has bagged an order worth over Rs 50 crore to supply 500 CNG buses to the Delhi government, a top company official said here. "We have secured an order for 500 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses worth Rs. 50.5 crore from the Delhi government," ALL's executive …
Commuter organisations question World Bank's slum-dweller stipulation
Is the World Bank stipulation on rehabilitation of slum dwellers as a precondition for its Rs 700 crore loan for the Maharashtra government's urban transport policy justified? With the railway slum demolitions once again derailed by the state government this week, commuter organisations and litigants in the case say that …
UN city management plan for Indore
The United Nations has agreed to a plan for the development of Indore under its Urban Management Programme with the participation of the local populace here. In Madhya Pradesh, Indore is the first city selected by the United Nations and the study of the problems of the city has already …
4,500 Dharavi huts gutted
A seven-year-old girl was charred to death and 4,500 hutments were gutted in a major fire at Dharavi in central Mumbai today. Two slum dwellers were injured in the fire, which broke out in Asia's largest slum colony at around 9.45 a.m. , police said, adding they were hospitalised.
Centre, Delhi govt told to forge consensus
The Delhi High Court today asked the Centre and Delhi government to take a joint decision on the guidelines for regularisation of unautharised colonies on government land.
No trains to suburbs if slums aren't rehabilitated
Court: The Bombay High Court has given the state government a fortnight to frame a time-bound schedule for the rehabilitation of slums along the suburban railway tracks or else, it would allow the railways to bring its services to a halt. A division bench of Chief Justice B.P. Singh and …
Rajasthan ministries fight over heritage zones
Things have come to a head in Jaipur between the ministries of urban development and tourism. Faced with congestion and unruly traffice in the walled city where most tourist attractions are located, the urban development council recommended the building of a number of flyovers in the heritage zone.
TN Cong leader stresses nationalisation of rivers
The urgent need for nationalisation of all rivers in the country was stressed by a top Tamil Nadu Congress leader in Chennai on Sunday and as a first step towards this, he wanted the subject to be transferred from the states' list to the central list.
