Chief minister Sheila Dikshit visited Connaught Place on Thursday to review progress of the much delayed re-development and gave an ultimatum to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation to complete the renovation within a month.
The NDMC missed the latest deadline of June 30 even as the renovation has been delayed for more than two years. It was supposed to be completed before the Commonwealth Games 2010. The cost of renovation has also gone up manifolds due to the delay over the years.
Accompanied by chief secretary D.M. Spolia, NDMC chairperson Archna Arora, and others, Ms Dikshit took round of almost all blocks in Connaught Place and pointed out the areas needing attention and improvement.
“She also stressed on the need of early completion of the work to facilitate her government to inaugurate the fully re-developed, refurbished and meticulously revived Connaught Place. She made it clear that government is not going to tolerate any further delay,” said a senior Delhi government official.
“The sheen of the re-developed Connaught Place would depend upon the finishing any lapse in which will eclipse the beauty of Connaught Place,” Ms Dikshit said.
She instructed that hanging electric wires should not be visible in Connaught Place.
“The NDMC has been asked to appropriately design the roadside kiosks and launch a special campaign to remove posters. Ms Dikshit directed the NDMC to properly maintain the public toilets,” said the official.
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Driver opens fire at DTC headquarters
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI, JULY 4
A Delhi Transport Corporation bus driver allegedly opened fire at the labour office at the headquarters in I.P. Estate area here when a delegation from Afghanistan was reportedly about to visit the headquarters. However, police officials said the driver was holding a newly-bought pistol that went off accidentally.
A police source said the accused driver has been identified as Suraj. The source said the incident occurred in room no. 203 on the second floor of the DTC headquarters.
“Suraj had bought a new pistol and he was showing it to his friends in the headquarters. He had gone to meet labour official K.P. Sigh. He had an argument after which he opened fire. The bullet hit the cupboard. Suraj fled from the spot. Two teams, one of local police and another from crime branch visited the spot,” said a police official.
However, a senior police official said that the pistol went off accidentally when Suraj was showing it to K.P. Singh. An FIR has been lodged.