Police hand over disputed plot to Delhi govt

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Ending a long pending dispute Delhi police Monday handed over a plot of land to the city government in Bindapur area of West Delhi for construction of a 100-bed hospital following a directive by newly-appointed Lt governor Najeeb Jung.

The plot measuring 1,600 sq metre at Pocket 4 in Bindapur was taken over by Health department of Delhi government at a function which was attended by Delhi police officials and scores of local people as well as representatives of Delhi Development Authority.

“This is the best gift to the public in the month of Ramadan. We thank Lt governor Najeeb Jung and chief minister Sheila Dikshit wholeheartedly for their support,” local MLA and chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s Parliamentary secretary Mukesh Sharma said.

Observing that no construction was carried out by the police on the land, that was allotted to the force, on October 22, 1997 by the DDA to set up a police post, the Delhi government had approached the land agency for the allotment of the plot to set up a hospital. However, the police had refused to vacate possession even after cancellation of the allotment.

In a directive issued on July 12, Jung, while accepting Delhi government’s contention, asked the force to vacate the possession of the plot for setting up of a 100-bed hospital in the area and asked it to accept an adjacent plot measuring 1,000 square metre for the police post.

Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, while addressing a rally in Bindapur on June 9, had announced her government’s decision to set up the hospital in the area, heeding to the demand of local residents.

The health department and Sharma had approached the DDA late last year seeking possession of the plot to Delhi government for the proposed hospital.

A meeting of the screening committee of the land agency had on December 20 last year, while accepting the request, had decided to give an adjacent plot to Delhi police. But the police had refused to comply with the DDA order.

As the dispute lingered on, the Lt governor’s office, in a letter dated July 12 to A.K. Singh, joint commissioner of police (Land and Building), directed him to ensure that the plot is handed over to Delhi government.

“We were continuously making efforts since last one year for the acquisition of the 1,600 square metre plot for construction of a hospital here. Our efforts have borne fruits, this is an occasion of celebrations,” Sharma said.

The MLA alleged that a number of local politicians from BJP had opposed handing over of the plot by police to Delhi government for setting up of the hospital.

“This is a reply to the people who were against our demands to build a hospital here,” Sharma said, adding the “acquisition of land has paved way to give shape to our dreams.”

Sharma said the construction of the hospital will begin in September.