Army loses Lutyens territory in Princess Park
New-Delhi- Unless the Army ensures to offer a gainful redevelopment plan to the Delhi Government, they will have to vacate a World War II barrack on prime land in Lutyens, Delhi. The Army was further asked to make the government’s intention clear about forfeiting the underutilized land in an overcrowded Capital.
As per the Army, they are ready to vacate the Princess Park which is built on 28 acres along the India gate central vista. The Army is demanding for an alternative suitable accommodation in order to vacate the apartments. In a recent meeting, the government along with the urban development, defence ministries and the Army, has decided to set up a war museum along with other apartments in Delhi. However, as per an official, this decision has to be cleared by the union cabinet before implementation.
This land which was temporarily given to the Army by the government at the time of World War II holds a value of about Rs. 4,000 crore. The land was given to the Army to build barracks for British and the US soldiers and pilots. Since then, it had been housing 100 mid-ranking officers and armed forces. It is seen that the Princess Park land is the most inefficient use of prime land.
A senior government official from the ministry of urban development stated that the army still has low-rise barracks and that the officials have informed them about the forfeiting of the land in case the Army does not come up with any plan. The officials are in advanced stages of negotiation with the Army.
On the other hand, an Army official stated that they did not receive any such notification and that there have been consultations between the defence ministries and urban development.
For quite sometime, there has been a shortage of accommodation for the officers of the armed forces and that they will vacate the land only if they are provided with an alternate accommodation. In another GoM, it was recommended that a national war museum should be built on the land where the officers reside and that they will be shifted to high-rise apartment buildings behind the museum.
This museum will be however connected to a national war memorial near the India Gate monument through a tunnel. All these plans should be approved by the cabinet. The city has other lands with Army barracks which will be replaced with redevelopment projects.
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