Title - Court stalls construction on Metro plot

The Delhi high court on Tuesday asked DDA and DMRC not to go ahead with the construction of a multi-storeyed housing society on plots acquired from University of Delhi for Vishwavidyalaya Metro station here.

    “Status quo to be maintained till further orders,” Justice Hima Kohli said in an interim order on a petition of the university, which had leased out plots to DMRC.

    DU has alleged that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation further leased out some portion of the land near the parking area at the station to a private builder for constructing a multistoreyed residential group housing society and this act was contrary to the mandate of the Master Plan Delhi-2021.

    DU argued three hectares of land was acquired by DMRC for setting up the Delhi Mass Rapid Transport System (MRTS) and now under the garb of generating resources they have allotted a portion of it to private builder Young Builders (P) Limited.

    The university said this was being done in violation of the provisions of the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 and development control norms for Metro stations contained in it. DU had challenged DDA’s May 12, 2011, decision which allowed Young Builders to construct a high-rise multi-storeyed group housing society on a portion of the land leased out to DMRC for operating a Metro station.