Rajkot builders seek changes in development plan of city, RUDA says welcome

Rajkot Urban Development Authority (RUDA) said that plan was open for suggestion but interest of individuals cannot override the development needs of the city. (Source: Express archives)

Terming it “flawed”, the Rajkot Builders Association (RBA) on Friday demanded changes in the second revised draft Development Plan (DP), 2031 of Rajkot city drawn by Rajkot Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and sought changes. However, RUDA said the plan was open to suggestion but “interest of individuals cannot override development needs of the city.”

The RBA held a meeting of its members to discuss the DP 2031 which RUDA had made public last month. The builders felt that the plan was flawed.

“There are inaccuracies in base map the RUDA used to draw the DP 2031. The zoning and road alignment in the new DP are also rubbish. There is no technical backing for them,” Hitesh Bagdai, president of RBA said after the meeting.

However, RUDA chairman Vijay Nehra said the new DP was open as yet. “If anybody has any suggestions or objections, this is the time period we have invited them. They can submit it in writing and we shall look into it,” said Nehra.

The RUDA had published the DP 2031 on February 11 for public scrutiny. The Authority had also issued notice inviting suggestions, comments and objections, if any, to the play by April 10.

However, Nehra rejected the suggestion that zoning was flawed. “There are set guidelines of preparing a DP and the zoning has been done keeping in mind development needs of the city. The DP is open for suggestions and objections. If any individuals has any objection, they can submit it. But individual objections cannot override development needs of the city,” said the RUDA chairman.

Bagdai also complained that even though the urban development department of state had not approved the DP as yet, RUDA had started implementing it and allied provisions of General Development Control Regulations. “We shall prepare a document of our comments, suggestions and objections and submit to RUDA. We had submitted our suggestions during the consultation process of the new DP but they have not been incorporated.

But Nehra said RUDA was acting as per a resolution of state government governing functioning of the authority during the interim period of replacing the existing DP with the new DP. “RBA had given a number of suggestions during consultations and a few of them have been incorporated in the DP,” added Nehra.

Source:: Indian Express