Anguished and concerned senior civil servants, who are residing in the New Motibagh Central Government Residential Complex ( NMBCGRC), have voiced strong objection against a unilateral move by the Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) “to fence off” their well equipped community centre and run it as a private club through a private operator on “commercial basis”.
The community centre is currently being used by these bureaucrat residents for yoga, table tennis, cultural activities, resident welfare association meetings and get-togethers of the Ladies Club.
In a letter sent recently, the NMBRWA said it was looking forward to the day when facilities at the community centre would be fully operational as promised, but has now been left dismayed by the brazenly aggressive decision of the Urban Development Ministry and its Secretary Sudhir Krishna.
The RWA has claimed that not only have its office bearers been humiliated, dishonoured and threatened to behave, but have also been told that the MoUD is now offering some space in the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) / “Lal Building” area for the community activities of the residents,, in an act of appeasement.
According to the RWA letter, the fencing of the premises would close the Leela Hotel side entry for the colony, causing inconvenience to most residents who use this entry regularly.
Residents have also been informed that following a meeting on December 17, 2013, the land on which the community centre was built, has been handed over to a private operator to be run as private club.
The RWA and its members are also protesting against an agreement that allows the operator of the community centre turned “private club” to not only ask private members to pay hefty fees and user charges, but to charge NMB occupants Rs.1000/- per month as membership fees, and Rs.1200/- per child per annum.
Residents are also likely to be asked to cough up exorbitant user fees and tariff for actual usage.
“This is evident from Rs.6000/- per couple that the private operator planned to charge for the New Year function,” claims the NMBRWA in its letter.
Objections are also being raised to the club being overseen by a governing body and a managing committee who have “a mere token presence” of residents.
It maybe recalled that in its general body meeting of September 30, 2012, the NMBRWA had decided that it could run the community centre by itself with the games and sports facilities managed through Central Civil Services Sports Board.
Now, in the wake of the unilateral decisions taken by the MoUD and Secretary Krishna on December 17, 2013, the concerned residents say that if the premises is fully handed over to a private operator, the charges would be prohibitive and unaffordable by most.
The latter also fears that with private membership, the culture of the place would be completely spoilt.
The NMBRWA claims that genuine concerns of its resident members have repeatedly been ignored by the MoUD and Secretary Krishna.
“The decision of the MoUD to fence off the community centre premises is most unfortunate and amounts to “EVICTION” of the legally allotted residents from the bonafide use of the Community Centre,” the RWA said in its letter.
“The MoUD decision seems to serve mere private interests and contradicts clause 4.1 of the agreement with the private operator on membership, wherein, it is clearly stated that residents of the New Motibagh Central Government Residential Complex would be individual members of the so called club, which is actually a Community Centre, ” the letter further states.
According to the NMBRWA, some residents have also pointed out to the fact that commercial use of the said premises would amount to a violation of original documents relating to conversion of forest land, NDMC approval of the master plan and even cabinet approval.
Several residents have also pointed out about the rights and responsibilities of the RWA’s under various laws and encouragement given by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) for welfare activities of the government employees through the RWAs.
Strong objection has also been voiced against the disparaging remarks made by Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna in the December 17 meeting about RWA in the presence of outsiders.
“Rather than attempting to address these problems, he (Krishna) expressed his irritation about large number of letters being received from the RWA. He warned the residents to behave like ‘tenants’ of government housing and not to be demanding. He even ordered ‘demotion of boundary wall of the complex within two weeks’ (fortunately not directly mentioned in the minutes),” the RWA claims in its letter.
The RWA has also highlighted that as per Delhi Development Authority (DDA) building bye-laws applicable for “Development Areas”, there is a provision for providing a community centre for the residents of group housing, and that such group housing developments will not be sub-divided into customary streets and plots.
Terming the decisions of the MoUD as unfortunate and high handed, the NMBRWA now plans to hold an emergency extraordinary general body meeting on January 4, 2014 so that residents can decide on the next course of action. (ANI)