Dwarka: RWA of Metro View Apartments demands 'fully operational' back lane

The Resident Welfare Association of Metro View Apartments (Sector 13) has demanded the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) make the back lane of the society properly operational following incidents of burglaries and other crimes occurred in recent times.

Talking to City Spidey on this issue, president of the RWA, Vinod Rawat said, “It has become a cause of concern for all of us. The road. which runs along the nullah, has an entrance from the metro corridor side but there is no exit. Besides, there are no streetlights and no security whatsoever. Being deserted and isolated, it has become a dwelling place for all sorts of miscreants, posing danger during the night time. I mean, the DDA should either close it or make it fully operational as any other common road.”

“We have been complaining the DDA for many years to make this road fully operational. There are no streetlights due to which all sorts of crimes take place. We have witnessed four to five incidents of burglaries last year. Thieves use this lane to enter our society, burgle things and escape from here. The civic body concerned should take the matter seriously,” general secretary of RWA, Arvind Rohila, said.

On the subject, Chief Engineer of DDA, Dwarka, RK Singh said that he would take the matter into concern and initiate steps to make the road properly operational.

I’puram: More than half of water supply infra faulty; new sewer line needed

Water supply infrastructure at 27 out of 45 points in Indirapuram is faulty and a new sewer line needs to be installed in place of old trunk line in many areas to sustain the crumbling infrastructure of the township.

A survey studying water and sewer woes in Indirapuram has made these glaring findings on Wednesday. The survey was done by a Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA)-appointed consultancy firm studying the existing sewage, drainage and water networks of the township.

As per sources, the whole development would cost the authority around Rs 800 crore. The findings of the survey will be presented within the next three weeks to the GDA.

The survey has suggested that the old sewer line should be replaced by a new one to efficiently carry the sewerage of a continuously expanding population. “However, the new line will not cover the entire Indirapuram but only areas with maximum sewer overflow. A detailed project report (DPR) is expected to arrive in the next three weeks,” said a GDA official.

The survey also checked the water supply infrastructure at 45 points. Of which, 27 were found faulty. It has been suggested that the diameter of water pipeline should be augmented to increase the pressure allowing enough supply of Ganga Jal. Its DPR is expected to arrive in the next two weeks.

The officials confirmed this after a meeting with the consultancy firm appointed to provide DPR on augmenting water, sewer and drainage infrastructure of Indirapuram. In the meeting, GDA reviewed the status and findings of the survey. In September 2018, GDA had appointed Delhi-based Min Mec Consultancy Pvt Ltd to conduct the survey and advise on how to improve the system.

However, the survey of the drainage system is still under way. The GDA did not confirm when the survey will be completed. “We are still studying the issue of streamlining the drainage system,” said RP Singh, chief of Zone 6 (Indirapuram) in GDA.

Spread over 1,300 acres, Indirapuram was conceived in early 90s as a low population density area. However, over the years, the area has seen an exponential rise in the population.  2011 census estimated the population of the township at 1.5 lakh. In the following seven years, it was estimated to cross 2 lakhs.

Residents blame GDA and builder and their alleged nexus behind the mess. “Since 1990s, not only the population but also the size of buildings has increased exponentially. The authority has allowed more floor area ratio to builders without weighing in whether the infrastructure is competent enough to support the influx,” said Alok Kumar, president of Indirapuram-based Federation of Apartments Owners Association (FedAOA).

FedAOA has been fighting against the authority’s apathy towards water and sewer issues in Ahinsa Khand II of Indirapuram. They have filed PILs in the High Court of Allahabad and National Green Tribunal. “In our petition before the NGT, we have raised the issues of sewage and drinking water supply, which have become major problems for residents,” he said

 Meanwhile, GDA officials are hopeful that the current development project would be competent enough to sustain till the next 30 years. They also said that the project is aimed to be completed by 2021.

Souvenir releasing ceremony for elderly held in Gurgaon

As a mark of respect and honour, the Federation of Senior Citizens Welfare Forums on Tuesday organised a souvenir releasing ceremony for all the aged people at Sector 29’s Gymkhana Club, Gurgaon. Chairman of Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority, K K Khandelwal, was invited as the chief guest on this occasion. Besides, several other distinguished persons were present during the event.

Khandelwal, during his address, said, “I appreciate the efforts of all the senior citizens of the federation for achieving great results and doing a commendable job in public.”

The president, in his welcome speech, informed all about the landmark achievements of the federation with the help of its members, local political leaders, police officials, civic body officials and other well-wishers.

Post-speech, he honoured all the super seniors (above 80) by presenting them with shawls. This was followed by the release of souvenir by the chief guest along with other distinguished guests present for this ceremony.

Thereafter, a musical troupe from Mewat area entertained the audience with their amazing talent.

However, the highlight of the ceremony was the presence of Rattan Singh aka Bhishma Pitamah, who has crossed 90 years! Being a retired Army official, patron and founder member of the federation, Singh graced the occasion before undergoing his dialysis treatment.

Federation of Senior Citizens Welfare Forums, registered in the year 2008, is the apex body of all the senior citizens' welfare forums and associations across the city. Dedicated to the welfare of senior citizens, the federation claims to be a platform to provide social and cultural support, besides looking after the issues related to their health and security.

The governing body of the federation comprises of a president, ex-commissioner of Gurgaon division with 6 officer bearers and 14 elected members drawn from all parts of the city.

GreNo: After Aqua Line, govt plans new Metro route to connect Jewar Airport

After flagging off Aqua Line Metro, the government is planning to construct a Metro Line from Pari Chowk in Greater Noida to Jewar Airport. For this, a feasibility report will be presented in the upcoming board meeting of Yamuna Authority in February.

According to an official, the route has been deemed fit in the feasibility report. This route will be about 28.6 kilometres long. 

“The first flight from Jewar Airport is planned in 2023. Metro connectivity will be required as soon as the airport becomes operational. Therefore, planning for airport’s connectivity from NCR has been started. It is being planned that the commuters will get direct connectivity to their homes,” the official said.

“In the report, the routes from Pari Chowk to the proposed airport at Jewar have been deemed feasible. There will be not be any issue with the land acquisition because this route will start from zero point in Greater Noida and run parallel to the green belt of Yamuna Expressway,” he added.

“The train will travel to the residential area of Yamuna Authority. For this, about 6 stations will be constructed on this route. Later, the number of stations could be increased as per the rise in the population in adjoining areas,” he said.

Noida man duped of Rs 1 lakh on pretext of car loan

A Noida resident was recently duped of Rs 1 lakh by a man who promised to provide him car loan from a nationalized bank.

Kovind Raali, a resident of Sector 33, Noida, has filed a case with the city police. The victim said that earlier this month he had applied for a car loan. A man who pretended to be an employee of SBI Money Mantra had approached him and collected documents required for approval of loan like a cancelled cheque and an ID card.

The victim said, in his police complaint, that the same cheque was later used to withdraw Rs 1 lakh from his bank account.

According to the police report, “On January 15, a man who introduced himself as Rajan from SBI Money Mantra had visited Kovind’s house. In the name of completing paperwork for loan, the accused collected ITR, a cancelled cheque and other documents.”

“The victim has alleged that on January 22, Rs 1 lakh was withdrawn from his HDFC Bank account by using the same cancelled cheque. When Kovind contacted the SBI team, they said that no one named Rajan worked with them,” the police said.

Sudha Singh, SP City, said that the victim met her on Monday and narrated the incident. A police complaint has been lodged and investigation in the case has started.

However, this is not the first case like this that has been reported in the city. According to a Noida police official, over the past few months, several cases of fraud vehicle loan cases have been reported.

“Same modus operandi is being used in all these cases. On the pretext of getting a loan approved, fraudsters contact people and obtain documents like a cancelled cheque which they later use to withdraw money from victim’s bank account,” said a Noida police official.

Why parking is such a chaos across DDA pockets of Dwarka...

Across Dwarka, DDA pockets — about 50 or so — are facing a growing crisis of parking. Most of these societies don’t have designated parking space and residents park their vehicles along footpaths, open spaces and parks.

General secretary of RWA, DDA SFS Flats in Sector 5, Mahesh Gupta, said, “When they allotted the flats, they provided space enough for a scooter, as per the scheme of MIG flats. But now, people who booked MIG flats can afford cars. Under such a situation, the open spaces on the premises began to be used as parking areas.”

Delhi Development Authority has made HIG, MIG, LIG and Janta flats across Dwarka.

According to officials, there’s car parking space in many pockets. Also, several multi-storied societies of DDA like Smariddhi Apartments, Golf Link Apartments, there are underground parking areas. In HIG and MIG flats, a few parking spaces are left unused and have been given out by owners on rent.

Now, the RWAs have also started using vacant areas outside their societies for parking. 

SK Singh, a resident of Sector 14, Kautilya Apartments, said, “There’s rampant encroachment in flats and the open spaces are being converted into covered areas. This has also led to a shrinkage in parking spaces, and nobody — neither the SDMC or nor the DDA — cares.”

28-year-old woman hangs self from flat in Hardik Tower, Sector 53

A 28-year-old woman, working with a private insurance company, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in her flat in Hardik Tower, a high rise in Sector 53, Noida.

Police was informed about the incident by the woman’s friend, Rahul, who said he had been calling her since Monday morning, but did not receive any response.

The victim identified as Surbhi and hails from Jharkhand.

"The woman had apparently been forced to resign after her company had initiated multiple inquiries against her for allegedly failing to renew insurance policies of clients despite taking premiums," police said.

"Her friend, Rahul, had been transferred to another branch of the company. They were planning to get married, but her family was not okay with the decision, as the boy earned less and belonged to a different caste. However, the family had agreed after the couple persisted,” said Pankaj Pant, SHO of Sector 24 police station.

Surbhi, he continued, was facing pressure due to loss of job and the debts she had taken from Rahul and others.

The couple had an argument on Sunday after which both went their ways. The next day however, the girl could not be contacted.

The police has detained Rahul, who made the initial PCR call.

A service road in Dwarka that ends 'abruptly': WATCH VIDEO

Civic issues are common across Dwarka and City Spidey has always raised and shared them with its readers, viewers. Here is a video which shows the ground reality of a service road, located in Sector-18 of the sub-city. Do watch and comment. Civic issues are common across Dwarka and City Spidey has always raised and shared them with its readers, viewers. Here is a video which shows the ground reality of a service road, located in Sector-18 of the sub-city. Do watch and comment.

Noida Metro allows use of Aadhaar Card as valid ID proof to buy smart card

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has announced that the commuters can now use their Aadhaar Card as a valid document to get smart card.

The officials informed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its nod for usage of Aadhaar Card for KYC (Know Your Customer) process ahead of buying the smart card.

Earlier, only driving licence and voter ID card were accepted for buying smart card. People above the age of 18 years could only buy the smart card as these IDs were issued to them only. Now, anyone having Aadhaar Card can buy the smart card at Noida Metro.

An NMRC official said that they had requested SBI to talk with RBI for allowing Aadhaar Card as valid ID proof. They felt the ridership at Metro stations, where there is big population of students, could have got a hit in absence of Aadhaar Card as valid ID proof.

The officials are also mulling introduction of a mobile application dedicated for booking of tickets on Aqua Line. This would make commuters life easy as they will not be required to stand in long queue to get the ticket.

PD Upadhyay, executive director, NMRC, informed that they would be launching the mobile application soon to facilitate ease travel for commuters.

Vaishali: Man found dead in mysterious condition; police suspect murder

A 26-year-old man found dead under mysterious circumstances near Pushpa Akash Apartments at Sector 2, Vaishali, Ghaziabad, on Wednesday. The body was found hanging with a muffler tied over an iron gate of an under-construction building.

"A temple priest saw the body and informed the police at around 6 am," said Nazeer Ali Khan, SHO Indirapuram police station.

According to the police, prima facie, the case appears to be a murder. "There’s a high chance that the man was murdered," said Shlok Kumar, SP City, Ghaziabad.

Police have also recovered the victim’s scooty from the vicinity. They also found a mobile and a wallet from the scooty.

From the recovered evidence, police have identified the deceased as Vivek Tomar, a resident of Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.

Police have informed the family of the deceased and send the body for post-mortem.

Ghaziabad: Two flats in Nehru Nagar’s Gulmohar Enclave burgled; FIR lodged

In yet another shocking incident, two different flats were burgled in Nehru Nagar’s Gulmohar Enclave on Monday. According to police, occupants of both the flats were out of station.

The first one was reported in a flat, situated on the fifth floor of the second tower of the society. The house belongs to Tapan Nayak, who is employed as a professor at IMS college and currently in Cuttack, Orrisa.

Police said his neighbours in the morning saw the lock of his flat broken and when they went inside, they saw the whole house was ransacked. They informed Tapan. He then informed one of his relatives, who lives in the same society. Nayak has reported a loss of gold jewellery worth approximately Rs 1.50 lakh.

In the second incident, Sunita Bhatia, the victim, found her flat burgled after leaving her house around 12 in the afternoon. "Lock of the front gate was broken. Each and every bed, almirah and shelves were ransacked," she said.

Bhatia has reported a loss of Rs 50,000 in cash, jewellery worth more than 2 lakhs and 5 expensive watches. She also said that thieves adjusted the main door of her flat in such a way that it did not look like it was broken. "It looked normal to even me till I inserted keys to unlock the door," she added.

Sunita Bhatia lives in a flat, located on the fourth floor of the first tower. She works as Joint Secretary in the Apartments Kendra Association of the society.

"Being in the management, it is rather an embarrassing situation. How we (AOA) will ensure safety for other residents," she asked.

Police have filed an FIR in both the cases under Section 380 (theft in dwelling house) and Section 457 (lurking, house-trespass) of Indian Penal Code.

In the last three days, this is the fourth incident of burglary witnessed in high-rises. Besides, dozens of cases of burglary in high rises in Indirapuram and Rajnagar Extension have been reported since December. Till date, police have been unable to crack even a single case.

NPCL mulls advanced meters capable to minimise multipoint connections cost

Ever since the directions on making multipoint power connections mandatory came, there has been a lot of issues over its implementations. As seen in many high rises in Gautam Budh Nagar, the developers have burdened the flat owners with exorbitant infrastructural charges in order to get the multipoint connections operational.

The residents have voiced their dissent over the way this has been implemented. They have also pointed out the many loopholes in the policy which directly plays in hands of developers. Clearly, it is the residents who are going to be at the receiving end as they will have to shell out big amount of money.

The power company - Noida Power Company Ltd (NPCL) which has been bestowed with the responsibility to complete the multipoint connections by March, have also been devising the developer-centric guidelines. They have been accused of favouring the developers.

Now, seeing the dissent among the residents, the NPCL is looking for ways to find the middle path which would be convenient for both the developers and the flat owners.

As per talks with an official of NPCL, they are working towards getting a special kind of meter in association with the meter manufacturing companies. They intend to develop a kind of meter which is capable of reading the power consumption directly on its own server.

“As of now, data of meter readings is in the hands of developers. We are in search of a mechanism that can provide direct reading to the discoms,” said Sarnath Ganguli, a senior official in NPCL.

He further added, “We are in talks with private firms which can provide us advance technology to minimise infrastructure for power supply.”

If they are able to develop this kind of meter then the requirement of additional infrastructure will be minimised. Hence, the infrastructure cost will be significantly brought down causing relief to the flat owners who have been complaining over the big charges asked by the developers.

If this goes on the floor then it will be a real win-win situation for the authorities and the residents. Individual experts had pointed many loopholes in the policy which includes giving freehand to the builders for charging the amount of their wishes from the flat owners to recover infrastructure cost for the conversion of single point connection to multipoint connections in the societies.

Residents of high-rises in Gautam Budh Nagar say the multipoint connection system was demanded to bring an end to builders’ arbitrary charges being imposed for the electricity supply. They say the government, however, seemed to forget that builders will impose hefty amount as new infrastructure cost.

Vikash Kumar, a resident who has been raising this issue, talking to City Spidey said, “We have objections on three points - why would residents pay infrastructure cost when they have already paid during the possession? If new infrastructure is necessary for conversion of single point connection into multipoint connection then the money which we have already paid should be adjusted. And, our third demand is that discom should audit power consumption after every six months which mandatory under the NPCL guidelines.”

For instance, the builder of Gaur City had issued letters to the residents for seeking their consent for multipoint connection and also indicated that the flat owners will be required to pay approximately Rs 60,000 for the multipoint connection system.

Parents need to draw a line in use of videogames like PUBG by children

There has been a widespread debate over the adoption of technologies in day to day life. Technology is changing our lives very fast but there is also a need to draw a line somewhere. Parents are increasingly complaining over the children’s growing reliance on technology.

Kids all across the globe are falling into the trap of technology. They are using smartphones and computers like never before. Children getting engrossed in gaming is a common sight everywhere. They are getting addicted to games and it is also affecting their lifestyle.

Gone are the days when kids had no other option but step outside for recreation. They are now very comfortable being indoors using smartphones, computers and gaming devices like Playstation and Xbox. It is dearly affecting their health and growth. 

Parents are now believing that the tipping point has come. They think that it is now time to restrict their children from getting addicted to gaming. They also believe that it is high time that children should get back to the playgrounds and indulge in physical activities.

Player Unknowns Battlegrounds, PUBG, is a popular videogame whose popularity has surged unabatedly. Children from all across the world are getting addicted to this game day by day. Its popularity is growing despite the violent character of the game which has also become a debatable issue.

PUBG has become household name and the game had achieved 200 million downloads mark in December last year. India is obviously a big market for the PUBG Corporation, a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole.

However, the divide between parents and children over the use of PUBG had come to the fore during the “Pariksha Pe Charcha 2.0” which happened at the Talkatora Stadium in the national capital on Tuesday. The interactive session was spearheaded by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM was interacting with students, parents and teachers as the examinations are nearby. 

A mother of the ninth class student in Delhi, Madhumita Sen Gupta seemed to be worried with her son getting addicted to the videogames. She pointed out that her son was very good in studies earlier but he has been affected due to the addiction to the videogames. 

The PM directly taking jibe at the PUBG said, “It is time that we should ask ourselves whether the technology is turning children into robots or making them humans.” The need to draw the line in the use of technology was emphasised by Modi. 

He categorically said that parents need to check whether the technology is narrowing our thoughts and if that is happening then it is a big setback. Modi said that human connections like sharing laugh is very important and children should play in open grounds. Obviously, the PM was worried over the excessive addiction to the videogames.

Moreover, the children are also spending hours on the YouTube to hone their skills in terms of playing the PUBG. The views of these videos available on the YouTube clearly shows that children are spending good amount of time online and are very serious about the videogame. 

Incidentally, PUBG was banned in China in December 2018. There are many educational institutes in India which are also taking steps to prevent children from getting addicted to videogames like PUBG. Vellore Institute of Technology and primary schools in Gujarat have already banned the videogame.

As per reports, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also recommended for imposing ban on the videogame all over the country. All these steps have been taken in the direction of ensuring that children grow naturally amidst nature and not in the confinement of walls.

Man, woman, and them... Gaur Cascades dedicates this Republic day to 'them'

To celebrate the momentous day when the world’s bulkiest tome on the rights and duties of citizens came into effect, residents of Gaur Cascades, a high rise in Raj Nagar Extension, did something equally momentous… 

They invited Naaz Joshi — the first Indian transgender to be crowned as Ms World Diversity in 2018, for the second time in a row — to hoist the tricolour, along with Reena Rai.

Rai runs Deepa Ardanareshwar Empowerment Foundation, which works on gender sensitisation for the third gender.

And what prompted this rather unusual choice? 

In the words of Anand Yadav, president of Gaur Cascades AOA: “They have been marginalised for just too long — that, when the Constitution of India gives them equal rights. We wanted to put out a message that it’s high time we embraced them into the mainstream.”

Later, Reena and Naaz also spoke on how to build sensitivity around transgenders.

Speaking on their experience, Reena said, “I think it took Naaz by surprise — such high levels of love and warmth from the residents, especially the women and the kids. It was very encouraging for her.”

She continued, “It was refreshing to know that there are people who see transgenders as human beings — generally people view them as objects of ridicule.”

The support was, in fact, so huge that a resident, who introduced himself as a lawyer, offered to finance anybody from the LGBTQ community wanting to make a career in the field of law!   

Looking rather embarrassed, Reena confided in hushed tones to City Spidey, “Sadly, I don’t remember his name.”

Elaborating the work of her NGO, Reena said, “They are marginalised and restricted in their choice of employment — surviving through begging at traffic signals, or prostitution, or putting up the equally humiliating naach-gaana during functions. If given the right opportunity, they can achieve more, as they possess the qualities of both a man and a woman. But for that, first we have to accept them as equals. That’s what I’m aiming for through my initiative, We are Your Strength.”

The entry of transgender as residents, inside residential condominiums, especially as tenants is extremely rare, and Reena acknowledged the same. “People living in high-rises should really get done with this attitude of ‘transphobia’ now, and accept transgenders inside their societies and life."

To this, Yadav added, “We observe Republic Day to celebrate our Constitution, which has given them equal rights just like everyone else. Discrimination against them will go against the very spirit of this historic day.”

Well, Gaur Cascades has opened its heart — and its gates — to all… time others did too!

Dwarka: Damaged direction boards confuse commuters; DDA assures repair work

Direction and signboards are really important when it comes to reaching particular place but if the boards, indicating directions, itself are in a bad shape then? Commuters in Dwarka are in a confused state nowadays as they are facing difficulties due to the damaged boards, placed mainly at master plan roads.

These big blue boards are placed at such a height so that anyone could easily read it, get correct information about the locality and take right route. But the moment one reaches closer to these boards, he/she realises these are partially damaged and to the extent that key details are missing, putting that person in a fix. One can find such boards in Sectors 8, 9,19,20,22,23 etc.

Sanjay Anand, a resident of Palam Vihar Gurgaon, who recently visited Dwarka Sector 19 shared his dilemma, “I entered the sub-city from Sector 21 and followed the road leading towards Sector 23. Just after crossing the police station of Sector 23, I saw a big blue board at a distance. I thought after reaching there, I would get a proper direction to follow. But when I reached there, I got confused as one of the portions of the board was missing, giving incomplete information. Left with no option, I called my friend to guide me to take the right direction.”

These direction boards have been installed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) at almost all the master plan roads across Dwarka. It is their responsibility to maintain them periodically but it seems the authority concerned is casual in its approach. RWAs and resident bodies have been highlighting this matter for the past couple of weeks but nothing has happened yet.

Recently, general secretary of Dwarka Forum, Arvinder Singh Chatwal, raised this issue on public forum and whatsapp groups of community and authority. He said, “The sub-city is new and in developing stage as compared to the other parts of Delhi. Therefore, such boards become very important for locals, commuters. If they have installed boards then they must maintain it. This is a thing which creates problem for all as they face it on daily basis. Besides, they look bad too! We have asked the DDA to look into the matter.”

On the subject, DDA Chief Engineer, RK Singh told City Spidey said the boards will be repaired soon.  

Dwarka celebrates 70th Republic Day with zeal

The 70th Republic Day was celebrated with great zeal and fervour across Dwarka.

The day started with RWAs and managements of housing societies organizing flag hoisting ceremony on the society premises. Later on, several cultural programmes were also held for the residents, especially children.

The celebrations weren’t just limited to the society premises. Social organisations held cultural programmes, sports activities and painting competitions in parks and public places on the occasion. At Sector 6 DDA park, a painting competition was organised for children. Choti Si Khushi, a volunteer organisation for underprivileged children, along with the residents of the area held a kid-centric celebration at Sector 3 DDA Park.

NEFOWA stages protest to draw CM's attention on Aqua inauguration day

On January 25, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, arrived in Noida to inaugurate Noida-Greater Noida Aqua Line metro service.

Homebuyers too had gathered for the occasion, hoping to find a mention of their longstanding problems in the chief minister’s speech.

But they were left even more hopeless — and helpless!

In his speech, the chief minister pointed out various developments, issues related to infrastructures of the city, transport services, police operation against criminals. He hailed all the three development authorities  — Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway — for developing the city.

He also took potshots at the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government. “His government took two years to construct a 8-km metro line, my while my government completed the 30-km Aqua line in just two years.”

But for the countless homeowners, he had merely perfunctory words of assurance: “When we came into power, around three lakh flat buyers were waiting for their dream homes, now one lakh have been given their homes, and for the rest, it will happen soon.”

Shweta Bharti, a member of Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), talking to City Spidey said, “Yogiji talked about several issues, but disappointed more than two lakh flat buyers. He spoke about one lakh flats being delivered, but what about projects that have been left incomplete — what about the insolvency issue?”

Flat buyers, under the banner of NEFOWA, had staged a protest outside metro station of Noida, Sector 137.

Flat buyers threatened to choose NOTA (None of the Above) in the upcoming general elections if their flats were not delivered.

Abhisek Kumar, president of NEFOWA, said, “January 25 also stands for National Voters’ Day. We will chose NOTA if our homes are not provided before the elections.”

Martyrs remembered at Shaheed Smarak Sanstha in Jalvayu Vihar

On Republic Day, Shaheed Smarak Sanstha based in Jalvayu Vihar, Noida, payed a floral tribute to all 38 martyrs of Gautam Buddh Nagar district. The event was organised at Shaheed Smarak Park in Sector 29, opposite to Army Public School.

Ex-officials from army, navy and military, and family members of martyrs from different parts of GB Nagar assembled for the occasion.

General (Retd) BS Bakshi presided over the event as the chief guest.

Rajnagar Extn: Daylight burglaries reported at two flats at posh Raj Empire

In a shocking incident, two flats on the same floor opposite to each other were burgled in broad daylight on Thursday in Raj Empire, a posh high-rise in Rajnagar Extension, Ghaziabad.

Both the burglaries occurred when their occupants were not in the house. Over Rs 3 lakhs in cash and jewellery worth Rs 6 lakhs were stolen from both the flats collectively, claimed the residents.

The first incident was reported at around 1:30 pm when Neeta Sharma, the victim, returned home after picking up her 5-year-old daughter from school.

“My wife was shocked to see that the central lock of the main gate was broken. When she stepped inside, she found the entire house ransacked. Safety vault kept in the bedroom where we keep our cash and jewellery was lying empty and wide open,” said Prashant Sharma, owner of the house.

Sharma added that the robbery happened within a span of 30 minutes. “Neeta had left the house at 1 pm and returned half an hour later.”

In his complaint to the police, Sharma has reported a loss of Rs 2.7 lakhs in cash and jewellery worth Rs 3 lakhs missing. “I had kept the cash in the house to pay registry fee for my flat (the one that was burgled) to Ghaziabad Development Authority.” Prashant works as a manager in a private bank while Neeta is a housewife.

As soon as Neeta raised an alarm, neighbours gathered outside her house. This is when, they noticed that the central lock of the flat opposite to Sharma’s house was also lying broken.

Pushpa Kishore, owner of the second flat, said that she rushed to her house immediately after receiving a call from one of the neighbours. “All the rooms had been ransacked. When I entered my bedroom, I saw that the cupboard where we kept our cash and jewellery was open and the door of the safety vault was broken,” she said.

Pushpa has reported a loss of Rs 30,000 in cash and diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs 3 lakhs missing to police. “It feels like the thieves knew exactly when we would be away from our homes,” she said.

Pushpa claimed to have found a screwdriver from her flat, which doesn’t belong to her. Pushpa is a lawyer at the Supreme Court while her husband, Kishore Kumar, works under secretary at Ministry of Coal in central government.

Meanwhile, neighbours said they did not hear any noise coming from both the flats. "We did not hear even a feeble thud. This looks like the work of seasoned criminals," said Namita, one of the neighbors.

Surprisingly, there were multiple security lapses in the building. To start with, floors were not covered with electronic surveillance and no security guard was deployed in the tower to keep a record of people coming in.

Currently, the builder looks after the maintenance of the society. When City Spidey contacted Dheeraj Makkad, director at Jaivil Constructions Pvt ltd (developer of the society), he refused to comment on the issue of security lapses.

The security guards on duty also denied the possibility of anyone suspicious entering or leaving the society during the time robberies happened.

However, the supervisor of security raised suspicion over the possibility of involvement of construction workers in the incidents as a part of the society is still under construction.

Police has registered FIR under Sections 380 (theft in dwelling house) and 454 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). “We have procured the CCTV footage of entry and exit points during the time of the theft. The case is under investigation. However, no arrest has been made over suspicion, yet,” said a police official.

Know what is 49P on this National Voters' Day

India, as we all know, is a democratic country where the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. It is also referred as “rule of the majority”. In this context, it becomes really important to know about voting and related rights. Today, being the National Voters' Day, let us make ourselves aware of one such right, which comes under Section 49P.

What does it mean actually?

The law has termed it as 'Tendered Votes'. According to The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, it gives the power to a person who 'seeks to vote after another person has already voted as such elector.'

What does the rule book say?

In such a scenario, every such elector shall before being supplied with a tendered ballot paper write his name against the entry relating to him in Form 17B. On receiving the ballot paper, he shall forthwith proceed to the voting compartment and record there his vote on the ballot paper by placing a cross mark ‘X’ with the instrument or article supplied for the purpose on or near the symbol of the candidate for whom he intends to vote. Then he should fold the ballot paper so as to conceal his vote. Following this, he should show it to the presiding officer, if required, the distinguishing mark on the ballot paper and then give it to him who shall place it in a cover specially kept for the purpose. finally leaving the polling station.

If owing to blindness or physical infirmities, such elector is unable to record his vote without assistance. In such cases, the presiding officer shall permit him to take with him a companion, subject to the same conditions and after following the same procedure as laid down in rule 49N for recording the vote in accordance with his wishes.

However, if a candidate secures victory by a large number of votes, these tendered votes are not usually considered since they cannot tip the scales in any manner.

Instances in the past

During the Rajasthan Assembly Elections in the year 2008, then Union Minister CP Joshi, contesting from the Nathdwara constituency, lost to BJP's Kalyan Singh Chouhan by one vote. Joshi had secured 62,215 votes and Chouhan had won 62,616 votes.

CP Joshi then moved the Rajasthan High Court in the year 2009, claiming that some of the votes cast were tendered. Joshi told the court that some of the votes were tendered votes cast under Section 49P of the Election Rules, 1961 and sought that these be included in the vote count. He also claimed that Chouhan's wife had voted illegally in two places.

In 2012, Chouhan's victory was nullified by the HC. However, Kalyan Singh Chouhan later approached the Supreme Court and the SC ordered a recount of the votes and asked that tender votes be included. After the recount, Joshi and Chouhan were tied with the same number of votes. In case of a tie, the law states that the winner be declared after a draw. Kalyan Singh Chouhan was thus chosen the Nathdwara MLA after the SC turned down Joshi's appeal seeking cancellation of the elections.

Film that spread the awareness

Tamil actor Vijay-starrer Sarkar, released in 2018, talked about the same law at length. In the movie, the constituency in which the protagonist Sundar casts his vote has a candidate who wins by a wide margin. However, the former's insistence on casting his vote inspires others who had been similarly cheated to do so, leading to the CM's swearing-in to be stopped.

Well, we hope this might have given you a better understanding of the particular law. Exercise it whenever the need arises!

Finally, Aqua Line Metro launched; huge relief for Noida-Greater Noida commuters

Following huge demand and after several hiccups, the much-awaited Aqua Line Metro was inaugurated on Friday, providing a huge relief to the people living across Noida and Greater Noida. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as scheduled, opened it for public.

Yogi, while inaugurating the metro line said, "Today, we dedicate the Noida-Greater Noida metro rail to the people of the region. The Aqua Line, which has been completed in record time, will provide better connectivity to the region and prove to a milestone in development of the region."

The rail corridor, also known as the Aqua Line, would run between Sector 71 station in Noida and the Depot Station in Greater Noida. There are a total of 21 stations on the corridor - 15 of them in Noida and 6 in Greater Noida -- spread over a distance of 29.7-km. However, commuters will have to take a walk from metro station 71 to reach out to Blue Line Metro link at Noida City Center as Aqua Line is not directly connected with it.

The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) had announced fares for the Aqua Line in December last year, with the minimum being Rs 9 and the maximum Rs 50. Besides, commuters using smart cards will get 10 per cent discount on fares.

As far as its operations are concerned, the first ride will start at 10:00 am on January 26. However on Sundays, the rides will commence from 8 am, continuing till 10 pm. Each train will ply after 15 minutes.

For the uninitiated, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), which operates the Delhi Metro, will assist the NMRC over the next one year in operating the Aqua Line. The construction work on this stretch began in May 2015 and was initially expected to be inaugurated in November 2018, then December.

PART II: Why is parking such an issue in Dwarka...

Grabbing open space near societies and schools for parking has become a common affair in the sub-city. Service lanes in front of societies are being used up for visitors’ parking. And civic bodies are twiddling their thumbs over the issue.

In Dwarka, there are more than 400 societies and about 100 schools. And the traffic mess is getting worse by the day.

A resident of Sector 4, Seema Gupta, said, “Mostly the Cooperative Group Housing Societies have been doing so — they even have the audacity to put up parking boards!”

At some places, there are even ramps so vehicles can easily access the footpaths at a higher elevation. SK Malik, a resident of Sector 6, Youngsters Apartments, said, “This practice is safe — and authorities are not taking the matter seriously. And there are no parking charges as well!”

The scene in DDA pockets is the same, as RWAs are okay with parking of vehicles in the service lanes. There are boards to denote which service lane belongs to which particular society.

VK Singh, a resident of Sector 14, Kautilya Apartments, complained, “What can we do if there is lack of parking space inside the pocket!”

Schools in Dwarka, too, have started occupying the footpaths and other open spaces in their vicinity. Lanes have been barricaded to make parking space. School buses are kept parked on the both sides of the roads.

The scene is common in Sector 12 in front of Bal Bharti School and Bal Bhavan International School; in front of the government school near Rockland Hospital; in Sector 22 in front of the mall; in Sector 10 near Delhi International School; in Sector 18 near Sri Venkteshwar School.

MK Singh, a resident of Sector 10, said, “The schools mostly have no parking space inside, so they park their buses and staff cars along the footpath. Also schools have not been given enough space by the government for them to develop proper infrastructure within the campus”

Here’s what traffic inspector of the area, Archna Andley, had to say: “We are prosecuting vehicles parked wrongly on the roads. We are also going to write to schools about the matter.”

Dwarka gym instructor robbery: Gang of 4 busted, including a woman

The police on Wednesday busted a gang of robbers, including a woman, who had allegedly looted a gym instructor near Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College in Dwarka last week.

A Nokia mobile phone, taxi with the same number plate that was used in the crime, driving license of the complainant and a knife were recovered from the accused, said the police.

The accused have been identified as Sunny, Sandeep Kumar and Neeraj.

A gym instructor, Ashish Kumar, was allegedly robbed by a gang of four in Dwarka on the night of January 17-18. According to the FIR, the incident happened when the gym instructor was given a lift in a WagonR car. He was waiting near Dwarka Mor to reach NSIT in Sector 3. The robbers had taken his ATM card, mobile, purse and bag.

According to the police, the investigation revealed that the taxi used in crime belonged to Dinesh Kumar of Nihal Vihar in New Delhi. He later disclosed that the taxi was being driven by his stepson Neeraj on the day of the crime. 

A police team raided the place and nabbed the robbers.

DCP, Dwarka, Anto Alphonse, said, “The gang roamed around the city late in the night searching for victims. The presence of a female member inside the car helped them gain trust of the commuters.”

Big relief to commuters as Mayur Vihar flyover all set to open on Friday

Commuters facing traffic snarl while travelling on Delhi-Noida link road will find major relief as newly constructed flyover at Mayur Vihar 1 will open for commuters from Friday. This much-awaited flyover have been delayed several times since the construction started in 2015.

A K Gupta, a Public Works Department (PWD) official who was supervising the project, talking to City Spidey confirmed that the construction has been completed around one month back and remaining finishing works have been completed last week.

The newly constructed flyover will be parallel to an existing flyover at the same location. Commuters used to face huge traffic congestion at the stretch during peak hours.

The Delhi government informed that the 800-metre long flyover will ease the traffic between Noida and Akshardham. With this new flyover, the vehicle moving towards Noida will not require the U-turn. They would directly connect to the flyover. 

The flyover will be a big relief to the commuters moving from Mayur Vihar Phase 1 to Delhi-Noida link road as it was blocked since the time construction of flyover started.

A Delhi government official said, “The flyover to be thrown open for commuters by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at 4 pm on January 25.”

With this flyover, the commuters will have a signal-free ride from Noida Gate to Akshardham, Geeta Colony and ITO.

The cost of construction of the flyover have been approximately Rs 50 crore. It is a part of the government’s ambitious Barapullah Phase 3 project which aims to connect Mayur Vihar Phase 1 with Sarai Kale Khan in South Delhi.

The project is presently running behind schedule due to land acquisition issues. The deadline to complete the project was September 2017. It was then extended to February 2018. However, it has again missed the deadline as the construction of two loops is yet to be completed.

Now, the deadline has been revised to December 2018. “At present, the finishing works such as installation of street lights and painting of crash barriers are going on. These works will be finished ahead of the inauguration date,” added Gupta.

Ajnara Integrity gets a new AOA; new roadmap charted

The residents of Ajnara Integrity, a high rise in Rajnagar Extension, chose its new AOA after an election this week. The election saw nine winners.

Nitin Kumar Tyagi, the new AOA president, said, “Building coordination with the residents will be his first priority. For the last two years, barely two GBM were held by the outgoing AOA. We will hold meetings every month to discuss the work to be done.”

Parking will be another challenge for the new AOA.

“We have multiple issues of parking. Many residents have not been able to avail their parking till date. Also, we will apply the rule of 10% of the parking reserved for the guests in the society,” Tyagi confirmed.

AOA will also streamline the parking system.

“Residents park their vehicles on others’ slots and then fight on internal WhatsApp groups. We will issue separate stickers for open, covered and basement parking, so people park their cars only at their allotted slots,” Tyagi added.

And then comes the question of a security overhaul.

“Recently, a few locals forcefully entered the society and fought with a resident around 11 pm in presence of security guards. This was scary for all the residents. We will either end the contract with the security agency or ask them for a better replacement,” Tyagi emphasized.

“This area is dominated by locals. The harass residents and guards without provocation. We need to have ample security to combat any untoward incident,” he added.

The AOA also plans to increase electronic surveillance in the society.

“We plan to start the process of takeover of maintenance from the builder. We have plans to make separate committees for issues like lifts, common area, etc. The respective committees will prepare the report on the issues they are responsible for,” said Tyagi.

Indirapuram: 50-year-old woman hangs self, suicide note found

In a tragic incident, a 50-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide in her apartment, situated on the top floor of Shipra Sun City in Indirapuram on Thursday. Police found the body hanging from a ceiling fan in the flat around 3 pm. Besides, they recovered a suicide note addressing "Chandani" from the spot.

According to the family members of the deceased, Chandani is the pet name of her daughter Anukriti, who is pursuing last semester of her undergraduate program from Delhi University. 

The suicide note read, "I always wanted to do more for you but could not. Going to the place where your dad is!" Indirapuram News

The deceased, identified as Kanchan Rana, was working as a teacher in a government school in Makanpur village, police said.

Her husband expired in 2004. She was living in the flat with her 21-year-old daughter, Anukriti whereas, her 26-year-old-son, Rishabh is married and settled in Pune. 

A family member of the deceased narrated the whole incident to City Spidey, "On Wednesday, Anukriti was at her friend's place in Delhi to complete a college project. She informed Kanchan that she will be back by Thursday evening. On Thursday morning, Anukriti made several calls to Kanchan but every time, the call went unanswered. Sensing danger, she immediately informed her brother who then, made calls to the neighbours to check if his mother was alright."

"The main door was locked from inside. We pressed the doorbell and banged the gate too for quite long but there was no response. Without delaying further, we called the security and asked one of the guards to climb the balcony of her flat and try to open the door opening towards the living room," said Iqbal Singh, one of the neighbours to Kanchan.

"The guard sneaked his hand through the window just above the doors of the balcony and unlocked it from inside. After he opened the main door, we went inside and saw her body hanging through a ceiling fan in the room. Immediately, we called police and informed them," Singh added.

Neighbours are in a state of shock following her death. "They seem to be a very happy family. His son got married just a year ago," said a neighbour to the deceased.

"Prime facie, it appears to be a case of suicide. We have sent the body for post-mortem," police concluded.

Republic Day 2019: Metro services to be partially curtailed

Delhi Metro services will be partially curtailed on Saturday as per the security instructions issued by the Delhi Police for the Republic Day celebrations.

According to the statement issued by DMRC, metro schedules of Line-2 (HUDA City Centre – Samaypur Badli) and Line 6 (Kashmere Gate - Raja Nahar Singh) will be partially modified.

The entry and exit gates at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan Metro stations will remain closed from 6 am to 12 noon. At Patel Chowk and Lok Kalyan Marg Metro stations, the entry and exit gates will remain closed from 8:45 am to 12 noon.

Central Secretariat Metro station will only be used by passengers to interchange between Line 2 and Line 6.

The metro stations on Line 6 at ITO, Delhi Gate, Lal Quila and Jama Masjid will remain open throughout the day. However, certain entry and exit gates at these stations will remain closed from the start of service till 12 noon. The gates that will remain closed are ITO (Gate No. 3, 4 and 6), Delhi Gate (Gate No. 1, 4 and 5), Lal Quila (Gate No. 4) and Jama Masjid (Gate No. 3 and 4).

Also, all metro parking lots will remain closed from 6 am on January 25 to 2 pm on January 26.

Poor town planning leads to severe parking problems in Dwarka

People in Dwarka, as we all know, are already battling several issues - parking is one of them. Lack of proper parking facilities, especially in market areas, irks locals and visitors, resulting in verbal fights, scuffles and sometimes even murder!

Moreover, service lanes along the master plan roads and markets, which were made so that fire tenders, ambulances or any such emergency vehicles get smooth access, are now being used for parking cars.

The situation has become so worse that vehicles on the service lanes are being parked on both sides; leaving just a narrow space to walk through or commute. Besides, parking cars on main roads in front of the market area create all sorts of problems for the commuters during the evenings and weekends.

While discussing the issue with the locals, City Spidey found out that the problem lies with the Town Planning itself, posing serious challenges for the developing and upcoming establishments as well!

 MLUs - Mixed Land Use markets

There are planned markets in each sector near the societies, which are loosely called as MLUs. These were developed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) since the inception of the sub-city and developed in such a way that there were ample spaces on the premises for parking purposes.  Following these, service lanes and master plan roads were constructed. Simultaneously, the population increased, the demand for different products increased and new shops occupied the region, making the situation worse for all. One can gauge the scenario looking at the MLUs of Sector 3, 4, 6, 10, 11 and 12. According to residents, the premises now have a limited capacity to accommodate vehicles for parking.

Talking about the present parking crisis, a DDA official, who was part of the town planning then, said on the condition of anonymity, “It was planned keeping in mind that people residing nearby would visit these markets as pedestrians but that did not happen! It has proved to be a failure as the concept adopted is non-pragmatic now. The issue was once pointed out by one of the higher officials when it was being planned, raising concerns about the impact it would have after 20-25 years. It means they were aware of the situation and could have avoided it.”

Unplanned markets, encroachments

Ramphal Chowk, located in Sector 7, is the oldest market in Dwarka. But one would observe that there is no parking space on the premises of the market, compelling visitors to park their vehicles on the roads.

Besides, vendors and shopkeepers have encroached the footpaths, main roads, making it a difficult stretch to cross. Traffic jams on major intersections, too, has become a perennial issue.

PD Agrawal a resident of Radha Krishna Apartments Sector 7 said, “This issue has made life tough for the residents. We are left with no option than parking our vehicles in no parking zone and as a result, they get towed away by the police.”

Residents feel that on weekends, there must be some provision by the traffic police to allow parking in one lane of the road.

“It is becoming a contentious issue and must be taken seriously by the civic bodies concerned,” said Pramila Malik of Sector 22 Jagran Apartments whose car was towed once when parked there.

New markets, malls sans parking space

Besides MLUs, merging new markets and malls have also started facing parking-related problems. Despite having enough parking spaces on the premises, people tend to park their vehicles on roads. Such a scene is evident in front of Sector 12 City Centre Mall in the metro corridor.

There is absolutely no space available for parking in the new market along the road from KM Chowk towards Vidyut Chowk in Sector 12 and from the chowk of Sector 4/12 towards Bal Bharti School.

Talking to City Spidey over the issue, member of Dwarka Forum, Rejimon CK said, “There is a dire need to look into the matter. Traffic police, local police, civic bodies together should think upon it and try to come up with solution.”

Past initiatives go in vain!

Following repeated complaints by the RWAs and social organisations, regarding parking space in Sectors 6 and 10 market areas, alternative parking was developed by the DDA in the year 2010 in Sector 10 behind Shakuntlam Apartments. Space was available free of cost but due to the lackadaisical approach of the DDA, it was never used and the initiative turned out to be a big failure.

Besides, a joint survey of the market areas was conducted by the RWAs, social organisations, police, DDA and MCD in 2010 and 2012 to look into the matter but all in vain!

Similarly, in the year 2017, the then Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), Kamaljeet Sehrawat visited the markets of Sectors 6 and 10 with the team of engineers of Municipal Corporation of Delhi and also the DDA. She asked them to find out a solution to this issue and also wrote to the DDA in this regard but the civic body refused to give space for the development of parking in the area.

As locals, residents, commuters or visitors, we can hope for an amicable way to deal with it but unfortunately, there are no positive signs from any of the civic bodies concerned to resolve this issue.

Indirapuram: 'Temporary' leveling of Mall Road angers Ahinsa Khand II residents

After holding the residents hostage for a whole day following incessant rains, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) on Wednesday finally woke up to reconstruct the Mall Road of Ahinsa Khand II in Indirapuram.

For the uninitiated, the Mall Road connects 22 societies and over 40,000 residents of Ahinsa Khand II to the other parts of the city. But for the past few months, the road has been witnessing scenes of chaos.

As the condition of the road is dilapidated, many parts along its stretch were waterlogged on Tuesday, creating nuisance for the pedestrians and motorists as well.

Miffed residents pressurised the GDA by complaining on multiple platforms. They also threatened to hold a protest if the situation persists. City Spidey also reported the matter. Soon after, the civic body started leveling the road. However, people are not satisfied with the work.

“Again, they are using only mud for leveling. Had they mixed grit with the mud, their concoction would have been much stronger,” said Alok Kumar, president of Federation of Apartments Owners Association, Ghaziabad (FedAOA)

Meanwhile, chief of GDA in Indirapuram, RP Singh, was unavailable to comment on this issue.

Since August, the work related to laying down the sewer and Ganga Jal pipeline is being done by the GDA. The roads will be reconstructed once it gets completed. For now, a temporary filling has been done. The present situation has added to the frustration of the residents who are already annoyed with the daily ruckus they have to face due to bad condition of the road.

On Tuesday, after hours of uninterrupted showers, the Mall Road of Ahinsa Khand II was almost converted into a swamp. As a result, heavy vehicles got stuck for hours. The temporary leveling of the road turned into a trap for many vehicles including a school bus and a truck.

National Girl Child Day: Avail benefits of these 3 govt schemes

Gone are the days when girls were considered as a sin, a burden on their families and what not! In today’s world, they are competing with men shoulder to shoulder, in fact, they are ahead of their male counterparts in every sense, and one should acknowledge it.

As the country celebrates its 11th National Girl Child Day, we bring to you three Central govt schemes which help parents to build a fund to meet the expenditure for their girl child’s education and marriage.



1. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

Sukanya Samriddhi, launched in the year 2015, is a famous and popular scheme backed by the Government of India. As part of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign started by the Central govt, this is a saving scheme for the benefit of the girl child.

Features and benefits

This particular account pays an interest of 9.1 per cent for each financial year, the highest compared to other small saving schemes. Besides, this scheme is also one of the most tax-saving ones. It has the provision of a lock-in period too. With the help of this scheme, you can certainly build an adequate amount to provide a bright future for your girl child. Most importantly, the account can be transferred too to another place if required.

Who can avail?

By paying an amount of Rs 250, a maximum of two accounts can be opened by legal guardians or parents of a girl child. The age of the child should not be more than 10 years. A certificate for proof of age has to be submitted along with the form. The account can be closed after completion of 21 years.

How to avail?

You can visit any authorized commercial bank or post office and get it opened. The birth certificate has to be attached. Some identity proof like passport, ration card, driving license or PAN card of the depositor needs to be submitted. The address proof of the depositor is also required. Once the account is opened, a passbook is issued to the person for carrying on further transactions.



2. Balika Samridhi Yojana (BSY)

Launched in August 1997 by the Government of India, the Balika Samridhi Yojana is specifically meant for the upliftment of girls. Being a small saving deposit scheme, it was introduced to change the attitude of the community towards the female child at birth and to retain and enroll girl children in schools and assist a girl to take up income generating activities. Fortunately, it is being implemented in both urban and rural areas.

Features and benefits

Each girl is entitled to Rs 500/- post birth and also receives a scholarship for successfully completed years of schooling. The amount of scholarship can be deposited in an interest-bearing account, and the maximum possible rate of interest is ensured. No premature withdrawal is allowed, and it matures when the girl turns 18.

Who can avail?

Newborn babies or infants are included in this scheme. The maximum age limit is 10 years, as per the rules. Two accounts – one for each daughter is allowed in the scheme. In rural areas, children from families below the poverty line are taken into consideration, and in urban areas children living in slum areas, rag pickers, flower sellers, vegetable/ fish sellers, and pavement dwellers are eligible for it.

How to avail?

The account can be opened only by the biological parents of the girl child. The account can be handled by parents or legal guardians. Once the girl turns 18, she has the right to operate the account, and no intervention is required from the parents thereafter. Applications can be obtained from Aanganwadi workers for rural areas and nearest Health Functionaries for urban areas.



3. CBSE Scholarship Scheme

This is one of the recently-launched schemes by the Central govt, awarding a scholarship for single girl child who passes their X Examination from a CBSE affiliated school with 60 per cent marks. This scheme was introduced to identify the efforts of parents in promoting education among girls and to provide a financial boost to deserving and meritorious students.

Features and benefits

Under the scheme, the scholarship will be given to girls who are studying in schools where the tuition fee is less than Rs 1500/- per month. The selected students get a scholarship of Rs 500/- per month. It indirectly promotes the idea to have a single girl child.

Who can avail?

The applicant should be an Indian national, single girl child with 60 per cent marks or 6.2 CGPA in Grade X Exam and will continue their higher education in any of the CBSE affiliated schools. The scholarship of Rs 500/- is paid for a phase of 2 years only. The scholarship payment is made through Demand Draft/ Electronic Clearing Service.

How to avail?

Interested candidates should apply online for CBSE Merit Scholarship for single girl child through the official website. Details such as Certificate Number and Roll Number should be clearly mentioned. Duly filled applications must be enclosed in an envelope and Merit Scholarship for SGC X should be superscribed on it and sent to the CBSE office.


Other than these, there are several other schemes for girl child which are being run by respective state governments to promote girl child and create a level playing field to succeed in life.

Republic Day: Police advise commuters to plan routes as per traffic advisory

The traffic police officials have issued an advisory for traffic arrangements and restrictions on the occasion of Republic Day. The arrangements will be done to ensure smooth movement of parade from Vijay Chowk to Red Fort Grounds. 

They said that traffic movement on the route of the parade will be restricted. 

As per the traffic advisory, no vehicle will be allowed on Rajpath, from Vijay Chowk to India Gate, from 6 pm on January 25 till the parade is over.

No vehicles will be allowed to cross Rajpath from 11 pm on January 25 at Rafi Marg, Janpath, Man Singh Road till the time the parade gets over. Traffic movement will also be restricted at India Gate from 2 am on January 26 till the parade passes Tilak Marg.

The Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Alok Kumar said that vehicles will not be allowed on Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Subhash Marg in both directions from 10 am onwards on the Republic Day.

The Delhi Police have requested the commuters abide by the traffic advisory and plan their routes accordingly.

The parade will commence at 9.50 am from Vijay Chowk and move through Rajpath, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar (BSZ) Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg to reach the Red Fort. 

As far as the Metro services are concerned, boarding and de-boarding at Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations will not be allowed from 5 am till 12 pm on January 26.