BJP’s lust for money has driven the MCD to sell 3,000sqm land of a school running on a 6,000sqm plot: AAP
BJP is snatching away half the school land to build a parking: AAP
Aam Aadmi Party vehemently opposes BJP-led MCD’s anti-education antics; will protest at MCD Civic Centre and BJP State President’s house: AAP
MCD selling 4,115 square metres of land for only Rs 175 crores in Karol Bagh where even 50 yards costs a fortune: AAP
BJP-ruled MCD putting up school land on freehold lease for 90 years, making the contractor an indirect owner of the plot: AAP
MCD’s tender says that they are preparing to make parkings at 4 such places: Vishesh Ravi
MCD has issued tenders for Ajmal Khan Road at 175 crores, for New Ashok Nagar at 168 crores, Shastri Park at 195 crores and Pusa Lane at 148 crores: Vishesh Ravi
Clearly written in the tender that the contractor should not be a defaulter; yet contract awarded to someone who has many cases registered in his name: Vishesh Ravi
NEW DELHI:
Tainted with corruption from top to bottom, the BJP-ruled MCD is trying to pocket crores by selling school land meant for the poor. AAP Senior Leader and MLA Shri Vishesh Ravi stated — BJP-ruled MCD conspiring to seize 3,000 sqm of land from a school out of its 6,000 sqm; trying to sell it at throwaway prices. Aam Aadmi Party opposes BJP-led MCD’s immoral antics; will protest at MCD Civic Centre and BJP State President’s house. 50 yards of land at a prime location like Karol Bagh costs a fortune, but MCD is selling 4,115 square metres of land for only Rs 175 crores. BJP-ruled MCD is giving school land on freehold lease for 90 years; contractor has become the owner of the land in a way. The copy of the MCD’s tender says that they are preparing to make parkings at 4 places. MCD has issued the first tender for Ajmal Khan Road for 175 crores, second for New Ashok Nagar for 168 crores, third for Shastri Park for 195 crores and fourth for Usha Lane for 148 crores. Clearly written in the tender that the contractor should not be a defaulter; yet many cases have been registered in the name of the contractor.
Senior AAP Leader and MLA Shri Vishesh Ravi said, “There is a school in Karol Bagh the land belonging to which is being auctioned by MCD, as it is planning to build a multi-level parking facility there. They have issued tenders for the construction of a parking complex in four different locations. The first is at Ajmal Khan Road, which we previously mentioned and for which they have submitted a tender of Rs. 145 crores. Second, there is a property in Old Rajendra Nagar for which they have issued a tender at Rs. 168 crores. Third, there is a location known as Shastri Park, for which they have issued a tender at Rs. 195 crore. Fourth, they are selling the school land in another location, which is known as Pusa Lane and has a tender value of Rs. 138 crores.”
He continued, “There is an MCD school at Pusa Lane, the place mentioned in the tender, which has roughly 6000 square metres of land. This school is still operational today. They have issued a tender to build a multi-level parking structure on that area, by taking out 3500 square metres from the school’s total area of 6000 square metres. The people of the BJP who were declaring a few days ago that they had bought a school’s site since children are no longer studying here, have proven quite clearly that their intention is not to look after the children after viewing the recent happenings. It makes no difference to them whether or not the children are present. Children are still studying in the school I’m referring to today. By removing half of the land from a still-operational school and selling it, the BJP-ruled MCD intends to have a parking project in its place. It is a terrible pity and misfortune that MCD has progressed to the point where they’re building a parking structure on land where a new building, a new lab for children, and a children’s library could have been constructed.”
He added, “They’ve put out tenders for four areas, two of which are where they are bringing parking by demolishing schools or selling their land. One of the four locations has opened financial bids and will begin awarding work soon. For this location, they are planning to give the contract to a company named Omaxe Private Limited. According to a copy of the tender, whoever accepts this bid must not be a defaulter in any way and there shouldn’t be any charges against them. However, the person to whom this contract will be awarded has been fined by both the Delhi and NCR governments, as well as the Punjab government. Omaxe Private Limited Company is the subject of a lawsuit. It owes crores of rupees in debt, and as a result, many governments have filed lawsuits against it. This has been reported in the press, and it is known that they are two partners in the Omaxe corporation, with one filing a case of forgery against the other. The MCD is about to award a contract to a company that is in complete default and is embroiled in a dispute between its partners. This job is being done in a rush, and there is a lot of corruption going on in this project. It appears that BJP leaders and officials have taken money from this contractor under the table and now want to offer them work by whatever means possible despite the fact that they are a defaulter.”
He further said, “Besides this, the contract for the area on Ajmal Khan Road which is being given stretches for 4115 sq metres. As per the document, this contract has been given for 175 crore rupees. Everyone knows that Karol Bagh is an expensive area, where even a shop measuring 50 guz will cost in crores. At such a prime location, such a vast area is being sold for a mere 175 crores for a 90 years lease. For 90 years after the contract is signed, no government department will have any authority over this land; the contractor will become the owner. There are endless examples where once a land is given for lease for 90 years after which the government goes to reclaim its property – the matter almost always goes to litigation, reaches the court and stretches on while the private contractor refuses to give the land up. There is a place on Panchkuian Road that the government had given on lease to someone. It is a prime location, right next to the Hanuman Mandir, which was given on a 90 year lease. Today, the government is circling the court while the person has further subleased the property and the government is struggling to have the property vacated.”
Shri Vishesh Ravi continued, “Hence, so many expensive properties located in such prime locations throughout Delhi are being sold at minimal throwaway prices by the BJP-ruled MCD. By giving the land to a contractor on a 90 year lease, the contractor is being made the owner in a way because the tender has a provision which says that the property is being given as freehold, after which the contractor can do as they wish. Normally it is very tough for a common man to get their house to be freehold, DDA refuses to do so. But in this case, the MCD itself is getting the property on freehold from the DDA to give it on a 90 years lease to private contractors.”
He stated, “This is therefore a matter tainted with corruption from top to bottom. Frauds of crores of rupees are taking place. MCD officers and BJP politicians are all connected to this fraud and are working together to sell off lands belonging to schools, where children are supposed to get education. In some places, they are deliberately shutting down schools in order to sell the land. And in other places, they are taking land from running schools, snatching it from the students, and selling it for commercial purposes such as parking. This is an extremely crucial matter which must be addressed. We are also receiving support in raising this issue in the public from our area. RWAs from Karol Bagh have expressed their disapproval through letters. They agree that it is absolutely wrong to shut down schools and build parking in their stead. This area, due to its high population, needs new and better schools. In such a situation, if schools are being shut for something like parking, then the public and RWAs strongly condemn and oppose this action, they say in their letters. Moreover, RWAs have also expressed that they are writing letters to all authorities from their end, showing disapproval against MCD’s sale of school land, and demands to stop the same.”
He concluded, “Along with schools, some 45 shops in the same area that have been there for the past 50 years, earning their livelihood with honesty, paying taxes, running their businesses without any encroachment or illegal activity, are also being made to vacate their shops overnight. The poor shopkeepers are going place to place with their complaints, begging the authorities to not uproot their livelihood like this. The public of Karol Bagh is coming together in what is becoming a movement. And not just Karol Bagh, we are receiving messages from all over Delhi depicting condemnation at the BJP-ruled MCD’s actions. Over the next week, as soon as there is some lax in the COVID restrictions in the city, Karol Bagh’s public will organise a large scale protest in front of the MCD Civic Centre as well as the BJP Delhi President’s house. We also saw that the BJP Delhi President is capturing the public land belonging to a school right across the street from their residence. This proves that both BJP’s politicians as well as its officers are busy encroaching public land for selfish and commercial purposes.”