Form special team to probe Unnati Group's fund diversion, UP-RERA to state govt

The Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (UP-RERA) has recommended the state government to form a special investigation team (SIT) to probe Unnati developers for allegedly siphoning off around Rs 147 crore accepted as funds from the home buyers. Sources informed that the decision has come following an hour-long meeting of RERA officials with the Noida authority officials.

According to a Times of India report, UP-RERA member, Balwinder Kumar said, “We have asked the state government to intervene and institute an SIT to track how and where Unnati Group misused these funds. The amount was generated by allotting over 100 flats each to two or three buyers.”

Noida News

As reported earlier, the Greater Noida bench of UP-RERA de-registered phases 3,4 and 5 of the project, for which buyers have so far paid about 20 per cent to the builder. In this regard, the regulatory authority has asked for a co-developer to be brought on board to complete the 2,000 flats of the mentioned phases, assuring buyers that ongoing investigation would not affect the progress of work in these phases. The project, launched in the year 2007, is valued at Rs 1,500 crore.

“Apart from financial discrepancies of the group, we have also ordered a technical inspection of the incomplete towers of Aranya’s phases 1, 2 and 3 to decide our next course of action related to construction work,” Kumar added.

A special committee is currently looking into the financial discrepancies of the Unnati Group. The committee is headed by UP-RERA member Balwinder Kumar, including the Noida Authority's CEO as well as technical and financial officers from the regulatory authority.

Rampant violations of tobacco products' sales norms very common in Dwarka

The rampant flouting of norms related to sales of tobacco products is a common sight at one of the planned sub-cities, Dwarka, New Delhi. The vendors selling tobacco products can be seen almost at every nook and corner of the city. The sales are being carried out even within the distance of 100 meters from school at many places.

Open sales of such items can be seen along the Master Plan Road No 201 and in sectors 6, 9, 10, 12,13, 14, 19, 22, 23 and so on.

Dwarka News

Mostly, vendors are selling these products on footpaths. But violations have also been done by shops at defined market places. They don't hesitate or bother to check when it comes to selling tobacco products to minors (below 18 years of age). The vendors are selling these products without any fear of law.

Director of Sahaj Sambhav, an organisation working on drug de-addiction, Rekha Jhingan said, “It is definitely a shameful thing for all of us including community, authorities and also the organisations in the area working for the social welfare of the young generation in getting them free of addiction from tobacco products like gutkha, cigarette etc.”

“One of the major causes of such trend is no check on the violation of laws. I have seen school boys using tobacco products in Dwarka and its surrounding areas. Small children living in slums can also seen being addicted to tobacco products. This is absolutely a shame for the society in general. I want to appeal everyone to join hands together to check such things. Authorities should take strict action against violators of the rules,” she added.

The irony is that these things are in the knowledge of the administration, yet no action is being taken to stop or curb such trade.

A social activist and resident of Sector 10, Vijay Shankar said, “They sell the tobacco products to minors and also they violate the rules by selling the products within 100 meter from any school. The school going children are vulnerable to tobacco addiction. Administration should think over it seriously and rule of law should be established on all fronts.”

After school time, students can be seen buying cigarettes or any tobacco product at small shops on footpaths and at the shops in any mall or markets near to the schools. There are two shopping malls, one in sector 22 and another in sector-23, where cigarette and tobacco products are being sold. There are at least four or five schools in the radius of 100 meters of these malls too. In sectors 6, 7, 10, 12 and 14, such practice is common.

Neither the parents nor school authorities are bothered and everyday new vendors are coming up and violating the laws in the sub-city. The local police said that they do take action against such shops and also write to the corporation.

Corporation officials said that the vendors are always removed from the footpath during regular anti-encroachment drives. But the basic fact remains that the efforts of both the police and the SDMC are not enough to control this menace which is spreading with the passage of every single day.

Jewar airport likely to get operational by 2023; global bids invited: YEIDA

Rapidly-growing Greater Noida, a city located in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, has got another much-needed development of public transport as the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) claimed that the commuters may catch the first flight from the proposed Jewar airport by 2023. The authority claimed to have floated global bidding for the development of the city's first airport.

“Bidding process for Jewar airport is now open and the last date of receiving the e-queries will be July 1. The bids can be submitted by October 30 while the opening of technical and financial bid will take place on November 6 and November 29 respectively,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), YEIDA.

Greater Noida News

Singh further informed that the nodal body for Jewar airport, Noida International Airport Limited (NIAL) has issued the Global E-Tender for selection of its concessionaire.

Giving out more details about the project, Singh said that the construction work will be completed in four phases starting from 2 runways which will be extended to 6 runways in the upcoming years. In this regard, the authority has appointed Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) to study and prepare the feasibility report for additional four runways.

“The development work in the first phase will cover a total of 1334 hectare land while the airport will have two runways in the initial phase which will be extended to six runways. The airport will cater a capacity of 12 million passengers in the first phase which will gradually increase to 70 million by the fourth phase construction. The total cost of the airport project which is expected to be one of the biggest in the country will be 15754 crores and is likely to be operational by 2023” added Singh.

Besides, YEIDA also launched an official website http://nialjewar.com and twitter handle @nialjewar where all the required information for the airport project can be accessed.

These decisions were taken in YEIDA’s 65th board meeting held on Thursday. Among the other major decisions taken by the authority were the development of the rural sector and metro connectivity to the airport.

“The board has cleared construction of a twin elevated metro corridor for Jewar from Knowledge Park 2 in Greater Noida. For the fiscal year 2019-20, a budget allocation of Rs 3684 crore has been cleared out of which Rs 500 crore has been sanctioned for the metro project to Jewar airport while Rs 425 crore has been allotted for the development of airport project. We have also decided to spend Rs 103 crore on rural development beginning with smart village scheme where Rs 84 crore has been allotted for the development of 10 villages” concluded Singh.

GreNo West: Gaur City residents demand police station at township

In the wake of rising incidents of crime at Gaur City, Greater Noida West, the residents have written to the district administration at Gautam Budh Nagar requesting to set up a police station at the township.

The quick influx of residents has made the township crowded. But, with the lack of proper security infrastructure, the residents are vulnerable to crimes such as snatching and theft.

Greater Noida News

In the letter sent to the district administration, it was mentioned that incidents of thefts have risen significantly in last three years.

Preet Bhargava, one of the residents of Gaur City talking to City Spidey said, "Situation is worsening day by day. The incidents of snatching and thefts have become very common in the township. The thieves especially target women in the area."

"If a police station comes in the area then it will certainly help in reducing crime. It would also be easier for police to operate effectively in the area. It is high time that a police station should be set up in the area," he added.

Earlier, the residents, who were angered after the sudden surge in the cases of thefts and burglaries, had raised the matter by sending tweets to the top police officials.

People had alleged that almost two dozen cases of thefts and burglaries were reported in last one month from the societies. They said that local police do not not pay heed to snatching of mobile, purse chain etc and file FIRs in such cases.

On top of it, the cases of car thefts from outside the societies have been happening almost on the daily basis. Police do file FIR in cases of car thefts. But, no real progresses were seen in such cases.

Gurugram Sushant Lok-I park issue: Residents hopeful as MCG takes notice

There seems to be a small window of hope for the residents of C 2 Block in Sushant Lok I in Gurugram who had last week complained of getting their only park in the society demolished in an “unauthorized manner.”

Rajan Sehgal, general secretary of the block’s RWA (which is also known as Lord Krishna Enclave) said that they had immediately written to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram to take action in the matter and return the residents their only green space in the locality.

Gurugram News


“However, nothing came out of it. But we still kept on pursuing it. All our residents shared the incident on social media platforms asking the authorities to take immediate action and something good has come out it,” said Sehgal.

Recently, an executive engineer from the horticulture department of MCG contacted the RWA and assured them to find the facts on the matter. “We have requested them to visit the park and see for themselves how a green space was vandalised and has been snatched away from the residents. He has assured to visit soon,” added Sehgal.

The residents had complained that early morning on May 20, a handful of people along with 100-odd policemen and three JCBs had entered the park and started breaking down the pavements, walking tracks and swings. They later even broke the gate meant to enter the park and instead erected a wall so that the residents can no longer enter the park. Gurgaon News

The residents had later filed an online police complaint about the same issue.

According to the residents, this is the only park in the society. In 2009, when the colony was set up, the land was meant to be developed as a primary school by the builder. But when that development did not happen, the residents had contacted the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and managed to get an order declaring the school to be developed as a park.

Indirapuram: NHAI 'temporarily' closes CISF cut to expand NH-9

In the process to augment NH-9, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has closed CISF cut which merged on the highway. In its alternative, an underpass U-turn on the left of the CISF cut is turned open for the commuters. However, the closure of this cut is temporary.

Officials on NH-9 project of NHAI confirmed that the cut is temporarily closed for augmentation of the highway and would be open once the augmentation is complete.

Indirapuram News

"The current alternative is in place to not disrupt the flow of heavy traffic goes on this route," the official added.

Meanwhile, for the time being, the commuters moving towards Noida and Delhi would have to take an extra 500 meters long route to get on the highway.

The CISF road is the most favoured route for the residents of Indirapuram, Vasundhara, and Sahibabad to travel areas of Noida and Delhi.
Hyper Local News

Mahindra Aura: Residents miffed with Ecogreen for not initiating services

Since the time local waste collector discontinued services, waste management has become a serious issue at Mahindra Lifespace Aura in Gurugram. To find a sustainable solution, they approached the waste collection company Ecogreen. But, despite several attempts, the company has not started picking up waste from the society. 

It has left the residents miffed. They have no other option but to appoint independent individuals for waste pick up from the society. 

According to Chavi Lal Das, who is a facilities manager at the society, “We had locals picking up the waste from our society in the past but we had approached Ecogreen for the same after they quit.”

He added, “Ecogreen had told us that they will be charging us according to the sizes of the flats.  Rs 100 for 4Bhk and Rs 50 for 2Bhk.  We had no issue with the deal.  But even after this, they haven’t visited the society even for a single day.”

Das said that local waste collectors charged them around Rs 1,000-1,100 for one trip and that is normally for collection of 3-4 days of waste. He continued by saying that they are currently paying double cost and taking services from Ecogreen would save them a lot of money.

RWA President of the society, Yashesh Yadav said, “Ecogreen is acting really unprofessionally even after we are ready to pay them their charges. We are forced to pay more to local waste collectors because waste collection is a mandatory job. Where will the common man go?”

According to Surendu Kumar, the general manager of Ecogreen, “We can’t go to the society until and unless they have any kind of memorandum of understanding with us.”

When asked about the MoU, Das said, “For any kind of memorandum of understanding, they need to come to meet us. They’ve never approached us for this.  How are we supposed to do any MOU without meeting them.”

However, Kumar assured that he will talk to the staffs and look into the matter.

RESIDENT SPEAK: 'Fauna dying a slow death in Dwarka, prompt action needed'

The population of animals starts to decrease with the development of a particular region as it leaves less space for their habitation. In the case of Delhi's Dwarka, it is becoming more difficult for such creatures to adjust and survive as the sub-city is ever expanding with the construction of residential societies, shopping complexes, and other structures.

To explain the situation in a better way, let me give you some examples. The population of wild hare in Sector 23's district park was good till the year 2010 but sadly, these fell prey to the stray dogs as grassland cum forest area was converted into an urban park.

Besides, the area had witnessed the death of animals, reptiles, and birds like monitor lizards, blue bulls, peacocks in the last few years, which are an essential part of this well-planned city.

Being surrounded by villages, open spaces, and agricultural lands, Dwarka is developing with each passing year but unfortunately, the development is taking place at the cost of fauna.

Being an environmental activist and a resident of the area, I would like to make an appeal to the civic bodies concerned to take immediate and fruitful steps in order to protect these species, give them their space to live and breathe as refraining from it would result in their gradual extinction!

Crossings residents take a step towards breaking stigma on Menstrual Hygiene Day

In India where menstruation is still considered a taboo and women are subjected to social prejudices and stigmas endlessly, the significance of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which was celebrated on Tuesday, increases manifold.

With this thought in mind, Muskan, a team of female residents of Crossings Republik conducted an awareness session on “Menstrual Hygiene” for female domestic helps working in the township at Gaur Global Village on Tuesday.

The session not only aimed to create awareness on menstrual hygiene but also tried to erase the stigma associated with it.

Around 50 women from neighbouring village, Dumdahera, who work as domestic help in the societies of Crossings Republik participated in the event.

"The issue of menstrual hygiene is rarely discussed because of the stigma attached to it. There is no awareness regarding this topic and a lot of times young girls are misinformed, because of which a huge number of them get infected and later suffer from serious illnesses," said Sangeeta Singh, a member of team Muskan.

Speaking at the event, Sangeeta said, "We informed women about various aspects of maintaining hygiene like using sanitary pads. Otherwise, use clean clothes but it should be changed twice in a day to maintain hygiene.”

The team also taught the participants a different way to use clothes as a substitute for a sanitary pad. "We have roped in an NGO that works towards the empowerment of women. They have worked on the idea of using clothes as a substitute for sanitary pads and taught the participants on how to make a pad from cloth," Sangeeta added.

The team also touched upon stigmas attached with menstruation. “Period is still a tough time for many women in India as they encounter several superstitions such as staying away from kitchen and holy places. These are myths and we explained them that menstruation is as normal and important as breathing."

“However, many women were still hesitant and approached us with their queries after the session. Many women invited us to conduct this session in their village as well,” Sangeeta said. “Overcoming any stigma is an uphill task but we will keep doing our bit,” Sangeeta concluded.

After Surat blaze, ASPA urges fire dept to inspect all schools in Ghaziabad

In the wake of Surat coaching centre fire tragedy, a delegation of All Schools Parents Association (ASPA), a parents’ body in Ghaziabad, met officials of fire department on Wednesday and appealed to conduct inspection of all the schools in the city.

ASPA claimed that many popular schools are running activity centers in the basement of their buildings, which is against the guidelines of the Supreme Court and the National Building Code.

Ghaziabad News

“We have received complaints against many schools such as DPS Indirapuram (Shakti Khand branch), Presidium Indirapuram, St Teresa alleging that they are using their basement as activity areas for the kids,” claimed Shivani Jain, president of ASPA.

“We have requested the fire department to conduct inspection of all the schools and examine the status of their fire NOC so that situation becomes clear to the concerned parents,” Jain added.

“Also, if violations are found, the schools will get time to rectify those before they reopen after summer vacations,” Jain added further.

Besides, Jain also suggested to conduct fire mock drills in schools to teach dos and don’ts to school children during any fire mishap.

"We just witnessed a horrific fire tragedy in Surat where helpless kids were seen jumping off the windows. We should take lessons from it so that such tragedies are never repeated to anyone anywhere," Jain said. “The tragedy has created fear among the parents as they worry for the safety of their children.”

Meanwhile, the city administration seems to be taking action against violators. On Tuesday, a joint team of administration, fire and civic authority sealed seven coaching centers that were found violating fire safety and other norms.

However, Jain said that the administration should also include schools under their ambit of inspection. "Or should we wait for a similar fire incident to occur in schools to draw the attention of the authorities?" She asked.

Delhi Jal Board okays several water-related projects

Besides the construction of a water museum, the Delhi Jal Board, in its 146th meeting held on Wednesday, cleared projects pertaining to augmentation of drinking water, Clean Yamuna, groundwater rejuvenation and sewage treatment plants.

Water Treatment Plant

In the meeting chaired by the Delhi CM and chairman of the DJB, it was announced that for drinking water augmentation, a new water treatment plant (WTP) would be built at Chandrawal which would provide additional 48 crore litre per day of drinking water. Carrying the advanced technology of ozonation and activated carbon, the project would cost a total of Rs 598 crore to ensure uninterrupted functioning of the plant.

The plant, which will take 3 years to complete, will be able to treat ammonia content to the extent of up to 4 parts per million (ppm) in the Yamuna. Earlier, the plant had to shut down following the presence of 1 ppm of ammonia in the raw water, resulting in disruption of water supply in its command area. This will resolve the issue of frequent stoppage of WTP due to ammonia discharge by Haryana.

Clean Yamuna

The board also accorded approval to the construction of a new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Okhla at a total cost of Rs 1161 crore. Bearing capacity of 564 MLD (56 crores and 40 lakh litres) per day, it will be the largest wastewater treatment plant in India and one of the largest wastewater treatment plant in the world.

It will treat sewage to stringent effluent parameters of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) <10 mg/l along with nitrogen and phosphorus removal and disinfection which will improve the quality of water in river Yamuna.

Ground Water Rejuvenation

Under this project, the Delhi Jal Board has approved the development of a lake of 40 acres to be created near Rajghat Bus Depot. For this, water will be sourced from Delhi Gate, which is right now discharging treated water into the Yamuna. The project will reduce 675 kg of organic load pollutant flowing into the Yamuna. The total cost approved for the project is Rs 36.51 crore.

14 STPs in the command of Najafgarh Drainage Zone

The Delhi Jal Board, in the meet, also approved construction of 14 sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the command of Najafgarh Drainage Zone, along with laying of internal sewerage system in the area.

Boost to conservation and augmentation of groundwater resources

The board further approved the policy of empanelment of institutions/firms/agencies for implementation of rainwater harvesting system in NCT of Delhi.

To encourage rainwater harvesting system including rooftop water harvesting, the empanelment of these agencies will go in a long way in conservation and augmentation of groundwater resources.

These agencies will actively promote and provide policy guidelines/ technical know-how regarding rainwater harvesting to the large population of Delhi. This will enable the common man to easily install a rainwater harvesting system in his house. Around 2 crore residents of Delhi will get benefitted with this project.

Water Museum at Kilokari

A project related to the construction of a water museum at Kilokri has got an approval by the board. The water museum will be constructed to disperse information related to water, rainwater and historical linkage of Delhi with River Yamuna.

Besides, it will also have a dedicated training centre for schools kids, professionals, RWAs, NGOs and public at large where training related to water conservation, rainwater harvesting, de-centralised wastewater treatment, waterbody conservation and lake rejuvenation, groundwater recharge, etc will be provided.

DJB has a 3 acre of land adjacent to the Kilokri SPS which will be used for the construction of the museum. The total cost of the project is Rs 12 crore.

Best ways to keep yourself hydrated during blazing summer onslaught

As the blistering heat has arrived in the city, people are struggling to negotiate it perfectly especially when they are outdoors. Temperatures are hovering around its highest range making lives difficult. In such a scenario, it is advisable for people to take good care of themselves.

One can look for ways to keep themselves perfectly hydrated so that they are free from any health issues. It is also important from the point of view that being perfectly hydrated help them in continuing with their daily routines.

One of the most common condition, that people go through during summer, is dehydration. It is a condition where body loses significant amount of water with minerals and electrolytes. If someone is facing this condition, then any illness like fever, loose motions and vomiting may aggravate the situation.

One can make out that he/she is facing dehydration when there are symptoms such as increased thirst, dry mouth, weakness, headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, dry and cracked lips, irritability and dark-coloured urine.

Here are the ways one can avert the chances of dehydration:

Increase water and fluid intake

One of the best and easiest ways to keep yourself hydrated is by increasing water intake. People are advisable to drink plenty of water all throughout the day. The other substitutes can be coconut water, lemon water, fresh buttermilk, clear soup and fruit juices. These fluids will help in maintaining the electrolyte levels.

Noida Authority writes to city magistrate seeking action against plastic makers

The public health department of Noida Authority has directed the city magistrate to initiate punitive action against plastic manufacturing units and sellers.

The department has written a letter, mentioning that during a recent inspection it was found that plastic bags and other materials are being made and sold illegally in the city.

Noida News

“It is to inform all of you that Noida Authority’s public health department along with the local police have been accessing various areas of the state to abolish the usage of plastic,” letter read.

It further mentioned that the health department of Noida Authority had conducted several surprise checks at various places. During such drives, the inspection team had collected a fine amounting to Rs 3 to Rs 4 lakh and accumulated 2-3 quintal of plastic.

“Despite all these, the usage of plastic has yet not completely stopped. We feel that now we should take strict action against factories making plastics,” Authority's letter to city magistrate read.

The authority has also requested other departments to initiate collective efforts to achieve the ideal label of being called a plastic-free city.

Gurugram: Dumping of waste at green belt causes serious issues in Sec 18

The city of Gurugram has its fair share of problems when it comes to environment issues. On of these problems is dumping of waste in huge quantities at place where it should not be supposed to be dumped.

In one such incident, huge dumping of garbage was reported from the Cabinet Sectt campus at plot number 89/A in Sector 18 near the Delhi-Jaipur Highway.

 

Aman Chawla, who is a resident of Sector 92 and is an environmental activist and nature lover said, “The hawkers dump garbage in green belt. As a result, the area has totally been ruined. Further, burning of garbage worsened the situation as it leads to air pollution in the area.” 

“I have lodged complaints on the Swacch Bharat App few times in the past but there has been a minimal impact. No actions have been taken on the hawkers. Cleaning activities have not been carried out. Air quality has also worsened and people are finding it difficult to breathe,” Chawla said.

“The place has become a major breeding spot for pigs and this could lead to harmful diseases like Swine Flu and other diseases as well. The government needs to ensure proper waste management so that the environment doesn’t get imbalanced,” he added.

The environment activist informed that the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) do send their staffs from time to time but the problem resurfaces all over again.

“Why can't the MCG and the government get a permanent solution to the issue of waste dumping. There should be a proper manner in which the waste should be dumped. There is not just huge piles of waste but also carcasses of dead animals,” he added.

Jain Samaj organises yoga camp in Dwarka's Sector 11. SEE PICS

In order to get health benefits, hundreds of residents, including children and elderly, across the sub-city participated in a yoga camp, organised by the Jain Samaj at Sector 11's DDA park on Wednesday.

In the camp, people were made aware of specific yoga poses (asanas) to cure diabetes, heart disease, joint ailments, depression, etc. Besides, trainers stressed on the importance of meditation to better one's mental and physical health.

Noida to build 'animal bridge' connecting green belt, parks and wetland

With an aim to avert animal deaths on roads and cut down on collisions between vehicles and animals, the Noida Authority has decided to build an animal bridge in Sector 91 connecting the flora and fauna of the region.

The officials from the Authority said on Monday that the bridge will take inspiration from the popular options in Europe and the US, stated a report published in the Hindustan Times.

Noida News

The Authority is developing 144 acres of green area which comprises 32 acres of green belt, 75 acres of the biodiversity park, 25 acres of the medicinal park and 12 acres of a natural wetland.

This is one of the biggest attempts from the authority to showcase the city’s flora and fauna, particularly for the benefit of wildlife lovers.

Rajeev Tyagi, general manager, Noida Authority, said, “We are committed to preserving the environment, and flora and fauna of the region. We have 144 acres of rich green expanse in Sector 91. These 144 acres will become the city’s biggest oxygen bank.”

He further added that the animal bridge will be the first of its kind in the country. “The motive is to protect wildlife and help animals move safely from one park to the other via the bridge,” he said.

Talking about the design of the green area, he said a culvert built across a drain already divides the four green areas into two zones. The green belt and biodiversity park are on one side, while the medicinal park and natural wetland are located on the other side.

The animal bridge is sort of a wildlife crossing and can be in any form like underpass, tunnels, viaducts, overpasses, culverts and green roofs.

Tyagi added that the design and structural details of the bridge is yet to be finalised. “As of now, we are planning to put soil on culvert to grow plants that will help in beautifying it and making it green. There is an existing unused walking bridge over the culvert, which will be developed as animal bridge for the wildlife use to easily travel from one green area to another,” he said.

The area is home to the Asian antelope, also known as Nilgai (a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act of India), reptiles, wild lizards, brown Indian hare, mongoose, peacocks and numerous species of migratory birds.

Most of these animals are expected to use the animal bridge, which will be approximately 40 metres long with 4 metres width.

A wide range of wetland birds also inhabit the area such as the common moorhen, black ibis, black headed ibis, black winged stilt, cattle egret, white breasted waterhen, Indian pond heron, white throated kingfisher, night heron, little grebe and little cormorant.

In the past, there have been several accidents reported because of animals crossing the highway, especially, the Nilgai. “The bridge will assist in avoiding collisions between vehicles and animals, which in addition to killing or injuring wildlife may also cause injury to humans and property,” Tyagi said.

Though the budget to be spent on the bridge is still to be finalized, the bridge is expected to be developed in the next two months.

According to the officials, the green zone will be accessible from the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and via public transport with the metro stations of sectors 137 and 83.

GreNo West: UPPCB cracks whip against low height of DG sets' chimneys

Following complaints of residents against non-compliance of standard regarding the height of chimneys of diesel generator sets used as power backup, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) has issued notices against two housing societies in Greater Noida West. 

The notices have been issued by regional office (Greater Noida) of UPPCB to housing societies – Supertech Eco-Village 1 and Valencia Homes.

In the notices issued to Eco-Village 1, it has mentioned that the society has a DG set with capacity of 1010 kva as power backup but chimney has not been connected with it. Also, chimneys connected with other DG sets have been found below the prescribed height as per the rules of UPPCB and it is directly affecting people's lives.

Greater Noida News

“You are directed to get the chimneys of DG sets installed at the prescribed height as per the rules and inform about the same. Failing which, action will be taken under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,” notice issued to Eco-Village 1 read.

In a separate notice issued to Valencia Homes, it was said that the residential project has nine towers with 870 flats. Currently, possessions of flats are being given. Two DG sets of 500 kva capacity are being installed in the society to take care of the power cuts.

“People are presently getting agitated due to non-compliance of rules for installation of chimneys of the DG sets. It is presently not at the desired height and causing inconvenience to the people living in the society. Show cause notice has been issued in this regard,” it read.

Further, it has also mentioned that during the inspection, it was found that the installation of chimney, as per the required height, was in progress. The representative at the site informed that the work will be completed within a week.

Notice further read, “If the work does not get completed within the stipulated time then action will be taken against the project for closure of DG sets operations.”

As per the norms, the length of a chimney should be minimum 6 meters above from its nearest tower or the building. 

The development has come on the basis of complaints filed by two active residents of the area – Manish Kumar and Abhishek Yadav. However, its not the first time when residents of the city have complaints regarding this issue and they have sought immediate intervention from the respective authorities.

Ahinsa Khand II: GDA seals 'one' liquor shop for flouting norms

Acting under duress, the Ghaziabad Development Authority on Tuesday sealed a liquor shop operated next to Shanti Gopal Hospital in Ahinsa Khand II locality.

Speaking to City Spidey on what ground the sealing took place, RP Singh, executive engineer of GDA said, "The shop violated provision of UP Urban Planning & Development Act where it is mentioned that liquor shops cannot be operated in residential areas."

Meanwhile, the move has come after the excise department submitted a status report to the district magistrate (DM), Ghaziabad last week. The report contained an examination of two liquor shops in Ahinsa Khand II locality about which the residents of the area have been complaining for some time now.

While the findings of the report are not disclosed, Mubarak Ali, district excise officer had told City Spidey, "The department would check the legal aspect of the shops and whether they are being operated as per norms laid out by the government".

The liquor shop sealed is located at the ground floor of plot no 12 and 13, right next to Shanti Gopal Hospital while the other liquor store is situated next to a high-rise apartment, Divyansh Pratham.

The sealed shop had opened a few months ago. It had become a matter of controversy soon after it started functioning. However, after the death of a 26-year-old man who accidentally slipped into a drain in front of a liquor shop next to Divyansh Pratham, the sealed liquor shop and this one had come into a spotlight. Ghaziabad News

As the shop was opened in a residential area, Sahibabad MLA Sunil Sharma and Indirapuram-based Federation of Apartments Owners Association (FedAOA) had apprised the district administration and civic authority to take action against it on the ground of violation of a Supreme Court's order.

"According to the apex court guidelines, no liquor shop can be given a license in close proximity to a place of public resort, school, hospital, place of worship, factory or at the entrance of a market or residential colony," claimed Alok Kumar, president of FedAOA.

However, GDA did not seal the other liquor shop.

Speaking on the matter, a GDA official told that the land on which the other liquor shop is built is in a legal soup. The land is originally an agricultural property and a petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court in 2005 by the farmers when the authority attempted to acquire that piece of land. The court in its proceedings ordered to maintain the status quo of the land," the official informed.

 "Since the liquor shops were built prior to submission of the petition and the status quo has to be maintained, the authority is bound to not take any action against the liquor shop," the official explained.

However, Alok Kumar is of the view that the authority can still imply the law on that liquor shop. "The nature of its business was not mentioned in the petition. The authority can still enforce provision of UP Urban Planning & Development Act on the shop and shut down its operations in the public interest," he claimed.

City Spidey tried to contact RP Singh in this regard but he was not available to comment.

Special task force fails to handle Indirapuram traffic mess, alleges FedAOA

Six months after the Ghaziabad police had constituted a special task force to streamline the humongous traffic issue of Indirapuram following the order from the Allahabad High Court, the situation on the ground seems to have worsened.

This is the allegation made by the Federation of Apartments Owners Association (FedAOA) who had filed the public interest litigation (PIL), after which the court had passed the order.

Ghaziabad News

On October 24, 2018, the High Court had directed SSP of Ghaziabad to constitute a special task force to manage the traffic in the locality. Six months after the judgement, the reply to RTI filed by FedAOA revealed that the police administration had taken several initiatives to curb the traffic menace. But the impact of the initiatives remains questionable.

In January this year, FedAOA had filed an RTI questioning the steps taken by the police administration in compliance to the court’s order. In a reply given after five months, the police claimed to have issued 9,627 challans between November 2018 and March 2019.

“Penalties worth Rs 7,16,600 were received from the violations,” the reply read adding that four fighter vehicles (quick response teams of Ghaziabad traffic police) were assigned to manage and control the traffic in Indirapuram.

The reply further elaborated that the special task force – comprising of SP Traffic and ACP of Indirapuram – regularly briefs traffic officials and fighter teams assigned to manage smooth movement of the traffic in the locality.

“The impact of all these steps taken to improve the ground reality is close to zero. The traffic is increasing day by day while the administration is busy claiming the benefits of steps taken," said Alok Kumar, president of FedAOA and petitioner of the PIL.

City Spidey spoke to ACP Aparna Gautam, a member of the special task force, about the real impact of the claims made by police. “Things will take time,” she said acknowledging the questionable impact of the steps taken by the police.

“However, we are making all the efforts keeping in view the limited human resources of our department and high population of the city. We are bringing changes in our operations to ensure effectiveness. Recently, we had switched from manual to electronic challan system. This way, challans are being done faster and at more effective rate. Such changes are being introduced and things will take time to improve; they cannot change overnight," she replied.

Gautam also complained about uncivilized behaviour of the residents which adds to the challanges. "People drive on the wrong side, without helmets and park their vehicles on the road. We challan such offenders everyday but that does not seem to be acting as a deterrent. A better civic sense and behaviour of a responsible citizen should prevail," Gautam added.

Dwarka: Misuse of 'open spaces' puts lives at risk during fire mishaps

In the wake of Surat fire tragedy, governments of respective states have ordered the department concerned to follow proper safety measures in markets to avert such incidents. In this regard, residential societies are no exception.

The open spaces built adjacent to the flats, left open for safety purpose in the case of fire mishaps, are being occupied by others, aggravate the situation.

Dwarka News

Be it in pockets developed by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) or Cooperative Group Housing Societies (CGHS), such practice has become common in the area. It is rampant in MIG, LIG and Janata flats.

Such encroachments are taking place in connivance with Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs), and political influence, residents alleged. They added saying the local administration is aware of such activities but it deliberately avoids to intervene in the matter.

Talking to City Spidey on this issue, resident of Kautilya Apartments (Sector 14) said, “Almost all the open spaces here are at risk of encroachment. Most of them have been grabbed by the workers who are involved in illegal construction. Think about the fatalities that might occur during fire-related incidents in such a situation. This is alarming! It is the responsibility of the civic body concerned to take a serious note of it.”

The Supreme Court, in the year 2018, had directed the civic bodies to stall unauthorised constructions and take action against the violators but sadly, neither the public nor the civic bodies take apex body's ruling seriously!

Ramesh Mumukshu, general secretary of Studio Apartments (Sector 16B) said, “These spaces are being encroached in such a manner that fire brigade cannot even move smoothly in the case of a fire mishap. Besides, it becomes impossible for people to escape from them. Civic authorities should look into the matter and do the needful as soon as possible.”

Though there is minimum illegal construction in the CGHS, the open spaces have been encroached by making that place a storehouse. Besides, these get blocked by the vehicles parked there.

Seema Sharma, a resident of Sector 6 concluded saying, “It is a serious issue which is becoming rampant. Management, residents and civic bodies should work jointly in order to resolve it.”

Community event promoting Delhi Police’s women safety Himmat app held in Dwarka

Association of Neighborhood Ladies Get-Together (ANHLGT), a voluntary organization working on women-related issues in Dwarka, organized a community event on Tuesday at the community hall of South Delhi Municipal Corporation in Sector 23.  Dwarka News

The event, attended by women from various housing societies and police officers from Dwarka, aimed to sensitize the residents about the efforts made by the cops to ensure women’s safety.

Police-public participation.


Women residents, meanwhile, shared their several problems in the area. The police officers present at the event made the residents aware about the Himmat Plus App of Delhi Police, which focuses on women’s safety.

SS Rawat, SHO of Sector 23 Police Station, appealed to women to download the app and start using it immediately. Delhi News

Indu Garg, police mitra and a resident of Sector 23, shared with the participants her experience of patrolling with police in parks at night. She also talked about how their efforts had led to 2,500 plus download of the app by women and girls in Dwarka.

Alternative connecting road between Noida, GreNo gets approval

Now, people commuting from LG Chowk in Greater Noida towards sectors 146/147 will not have to pass through Pari Chowk taking a 12-km long route. A new four lane 2.4-km long road will be constructed to connect the LG Chowk to Noida-Greater Noida expressway.

This road will pass through the under construction Hindon bridge. There are also plans to construct two slip roads for smooth movement of vehicles.

Noida News

The new road will be constructed by both Noida and Greater Noida Authorities. The proposal has already been approved. Now, the estimate will be prepared and the target to complete the construction of road has been set at 2 years. 

The distance between the twin cities will come down after opening of the new road. People, living in the vicinity of the road, will also be greatly benefitted. The heavy traffic situation towards Pari Chowk is also expected to ease significantly. 

Greater Noida News

The connectivity to the Aqua Line metro stations at sectors 146 and 147 will also improve. The new road will be 60 meters wide. The 209 meters long Hindon bridge is being constructed at the cost of around Rs 62 crore. It is expected to be completed in next 20 months. 

“After passing through the Hindon bridge, the road will connect to expressway in front of sectors 146 and 147 through the service lane. There are also plans to construct an underpass at this point. Two slip roads will provide connectivity to sectors 146 and 147,” said an official aware with the development. 

Elections over but garbage related issues are not in Dwarka!

Residents across Dwarka have been struggling with several civic issues for the past several years; waste management and its disposal is one of them. Many written complaints have been made and news reports were published in the past to highlight the issue but unfortunately, no permanent solution has been provided by the authorities or civic bodies concerned till date.

In this video, City Spidey shows actual scenes from Sector 14 of the sub-city. All sorts of garbage can be seen dumped on roadsides, along the back lane opposite to which residential societies are there.

The civic agency concerned is expected to manage the waste in a proper manner on a regular basis but that does not seem to be happening. In order to dispose of dumped waste, piles of garbage get burnt. As a result, trees get damaged in this process, affecting the environment.

Like any other elections, local representatives from the government, this time too, promised to deliver but fail to resolve this long-pending issue which has been a serious concern for the people of the area.

The important question is - when and how this issue will be resolved?

GreNo West: Park Avenue organises week-long sporting event for residents

Good news for all the sports enthusiasts residing in the society as Park Avenue, part of Gaur City 1 in Greater Noida West, has started a week-long sporting event named 'Khel Mahotsava', starting May 26.

Greater Noida News

The objective of organising this event is to attract people of all the age groups to take part in indoor and outdoor sports like table tennis, carrom, chess, badminton, basketball, and swimming, etc.


The thought of holding such a sporting event came from a group of residents who are also the members of Park Avenue Cultural Committee.

Talking to City Spidey about it, one of the members of the committee Gaurav Gupta said, "We are trying to provide a better environment in the society and nothing is better than sports. There is no age bar so everybody can participate in it."

Ankur Srivastava, one of the residents who participated in the TT tournament, shared his views saying, " It was a very lively atmosphere. Children enjoyed a lot. Such activities keep everyone fit besides providing enormous fun. I want to thank the organisers for putting in all the efforts to make it a success."

Winners and prizes will be announced on June 2, on the day of its conclusion.

Panchsheel Greens: Cops' inaction in 5 months old theft case irks residents

Residents of Panchsheel Greens, a high-rise in Greater Noida West, are utterly disappointed by the local police. Reason? It has been five months since three flats of this society got burgled following which the flat owners registered an FIR with local police, claiming loss of Rs 5 lakh each but no action has been initiated so far in this regard.

The victims and the complainants, Abhay Kumar, Rajat Kumar, and Ashish Chanda, alleged the local police had promised to crack the case within a month but nothing happened.

"The cops, with the help of CCTV footage, detained the miscreants to interrogate them but what happened after that, we are still clueless about it," the victims added.

Citing the callous approach of the police reason for the delay in the case, complainants raised concerns about their safety within the society premises too.

Cash and other valuables were reported stolen from three flats in broad daylight on December 27. The incident took place when the owners were not at home.

RWA elections at two societies in Raj Nagar Extn record high voter turnout

In a rare instance, two RWA elections conducted on Sunday in Raj Nagar Extension witnessed a high voter turnout – crossing 60 per cent mark.

Green View Heights held its second RWA election and more than 60% of its residents took part in it.

 

This is after two of the totals votes were declared null and void, told RP Gupta, president of the newly elected RWA body.

This is the second term for Gupta who started his tenure in June 2018. City Spidey spoke to him on his agenda for the current term.

“There is a wide range of issues that need to be looked after. However, our prime focus is to get hold of the full amount of interest free maintenance fund (IFMS) from the builder,” said Gupta.

The builder has given only a meagre part of the IFMS to its RWA. “As of now, we have received only 21 lakhs out of 70 lakhs in total,” he added.

Apart from IFMS, the newly elected body will focus on removing encroachments by the builder, connect the society with the sewer line and start the operation of sewage treatment plant (STP).

Builder has raised an illegal construction on our open space. We will work to get it removed, Gupta claimed.

Federation of Apartments Owners Association of Raj Nagar Extension (FedAOA RNE) praised Green View Heights for regularly conducting elections. “It's very rare to see societies following bye-laws of the UP Apartment Act,” said Sanjeev Sharma, secretary of FedAOA RNE.

 

 

Gulmohar Garden RWA Elections

Meanwhile, RWA elections at Gulmohar Garden saw 69% voter turnout. A total of 17 contenders contested the election comprising of 10 existing board members and seven others.

The ten-members team led by Shyamal Chanda, ex-president, swept the election. The team received 157 votes in total while the opposition team of seven members received just nine votes.

Nimesh Garg, ex-treasurer, received whopping 212 votes, the highest among all followed by Sudeep Dwivedi with 208 votes.

Speaking to City Spidey, Chanda said that such a huge mandate also means high expectations from the team. “We will try our best to resolve the range of issues in the society,” he said.

When asked what issues would be on his team's priority list, Chanda said, “To start with, our utmost priority is to take over the maintenance and IFMS fund amounting over Rs 1.5 crores. Then we have to look after our buildings and swimming pool,” Chanda added.

The society’s swimming pool was sealed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA). “We are in the process of getting it reopened. The outer facade of the society is in a dilapidated state. We aim to renovate the buildings as soon as possible,” he explained.

Chanda also said that once the team takes over the maintenance of the society, they will regularize salary dispersion of the maintenance and security staff. “The builder's attitude is pathetic. It often delays the salary of maintenance and security staff,” he added.

The elected board is yet to decide positions of its members.

CM Manohar Lal Khattar approves DPR for Gurugram Metro; deadline set for 2025

The detailed project report (DPR) for Gurugram metro was approved by Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday mentioning June 2025 as the deadline for commissioning of the metro link.

According to a report published in TOI, Khattar has asked for expediting the project to 2024.

The project is expected to cost around Rs 5,126 crore, mentioned the official release from the government. It further stated that the metro link will start at Huda City Centre, pass via Subhash Chowk, Sector 10, Sector 23, and Udyog Vihar and finally connect with Cybercity.

According to a GMDA official, earlier the CM had proposed a spur from Basai to Dwarka Expressway and an extension from Sector 23 to Cybercity via Udyog Vihar, for which approval from the Central government is still awaited.

Interim consultants for the project will be appointed by September after which central government will approve the project by December 2019.

The official further added that the civil works for the project will commence in June next year and the metro will be commissioned by June 2025.

According to the officials, most of the land required for the project is already with the state government except around 0.8 acre in Sector 4, which belongs to private owners who will be rehabilitated for the project.

The metro project will be started in the category of Special Project Vehicle by the Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited (HMRTC).

The authorities had done an internal analysis to assess the ridership over the coming years and found that it will touch 5.49 lakh passengers per day in 2025, rising further to 6.85 lakh passenger trips by 2031 and finally, 8.79 lakh passenger trips in 2041.

Meanwhile, the residents welcomed the news. “This is great news for the residents living on the other side of NH-8 in colonies like Palam Vihar and Udyog Vihar as they face great difficulty reaching the metro. Once this metro starts running, it will cut down travelling time by a great deal,” said Rashmi Aggarwal, a resident of Palam Vihar.

Another resident from Sector 66, Ashok Chawla, said, “Although they are not extending metro in our area, still it will improve connectivity for all Gurugram residents to other parts of the city. Currently people travelling to offices in Udyog Vihar either have to drive or take a cab, both of which are very expensive options.”

Paramount Emotions: Buyers disheartened after delay of possession by many years

Delay in possession of flats at Paramount Emotions, a developing housing society in Greater Noida West, is annoying the flat owners who have invested their hard earned money into it. Buyers, waiting for possession, alleged that there has been huge disparity in the attitude of the developer since the time bookings of flats were done. They looked very prompt when the booking was done but they have now become ignorant.

Many flat owners claimed that although the registrations of their flats were done several months back, they were yet to get possession. “The buyers, who are living outside Delhi-NCR, have been getting disheartened with the long wait for their flats,” they said.

Those buyers said that they find it difficult to attend all the meetings, protests and hearings in RERA. 

Simanchal Mishra, who presently reside in Odisha and has booked his flat at the society, talking to City Spidey said, “Registry of my flat was done on January 25 and then builder had assured us for possession by March. Since then whenever I contact marketing office, they give a date one after another. We are senior citizen and can’t reach out to Greater Noida every time. Recently when I contacted, they gave another date in July.”

Flat buyers also alleged that they have been forced to pay their dues with interest even if there is a delay of one day.

Chandan Chowdhary, another flat owner said, “If flat buyers delay in paying installment even for one day or a week, they are required to pay interest. But there is no adjustment in case of delay of possession by several years.”

Arpit Kumar, another flat buyer told City Spidey that he had booked a flat in September last year but still waiting for possession.

“I booked a flat with this group because school of my child is very close to the society. I was assured to get possession within six months. After several deadlines, I approached UP-RERA and date for hearing was fixed in end of June. It is my last hope to get my flat,” he said.

“What is more surprising is that I received a notice from the developer to pay interest of four days because I delayed interest payment. But, it is an irony that there is no penalty for failing to deliver their promise in time.”

Almost 7,50,000 saplings to be planted in GB Nagar

Under a large-scale plantation campaign, almost 7,50,000 plants will be planted until March 2020 in the Gautam Budh Nagar district. District Magistrate, BN Singh, has laid out targets for the plantations to all the concerned departments.

On the coming August 15, a record 3,73,650 plants will be planted. The DM will be holding a meeting in this regard with all the departments on Monday. The DM has given plantation targets to all the departments.

It is 1,95,955 for forest department, 1,80,000 for Noida Authority, 80,000 for Greater Noida Authority, 16,000 for Yamuna Authority, 28,000 for Public Works Department, 57,000 for Rural Development Department, 30,000 for Panchayati Raj Department, 17,000 for Revenue Department, 24,600 for Irrigation Department and 17,000 for Plantation Department.

As well, targets are also given to many departments such as Animal Husbandry, Electricity, Education, Labour, Health, Transport, Railway and Police.

A senior official associated with the department of Divisional Forest Officer said, “A large-scale plantation campaign will be done on the coming August 15. Preparations have already been started and plantations will start soon after the arrival of rains.”

Dwarka: Dumped silt, open drains on footpath create mess for pedestrians

ity Spidey, in its continuous effort to highlight basic civic issues, has come up with a video report which shows the poor state of a footpath near Sector 5 market of the sub-city.

Though the bus stand located in the middle of the footpath can be seen maintained well, either side of it is dumped with silt, which was supposedly left as it is after the work related to cleaning of drains was carried out by the civic body concerned.

Besides, the drains on the footpath can be been left open, making it difficult and dangerous for pedestrians to walk over.

The department concerned, looking after these works, should take this issue into their concern and do the needful in order to make the footpath completely safe and available for the walkers.

Gurugram: Mahindra Aura to become 'plastic-free' from June

In order to curb the usage of plastic in our daily lives and otherwise, the residents of Mahindra Aura, a high-rise in Sector 110, have decided to ban it from next month onwards.

Talking to City Spidey about this move, resident and president of the RWA of the society Yashesh Yadav said, "Plastic is a menace and we need to overcome this evil. It not only affects our health but proves to be an environmental hazard. Tough situations call for tough measures, so we have decided to make Aura into a 'polythene-free Aura."

"There are 800 flats and over 600 families reside here. We have mailed all the residents of our society avoid polythene during shopping and carry paper, jute and fabric bags. Besides, we have also intimated the shopkeepers within the society premises to make sure they do not give customers anything in plastic bags," Yadav added.

On asking about the action to be taken against the violators, Yadav pointed out, "No, we cannot impose any fine on residents but we are going to write to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) so that it can penalise the person who is found violating the laid norms."

Optimistic about the decision which has been taken, Yashesh Yadav said, "I am hopeful that it will prove to be a success within 1-2 months. But we are willing to put in more efforts even if takes a much longer time. Each and everyone's cooperation is must to make it a complete reality."

Chavi Lal Das, facilities manager of the society, too gave a thumbs up to this initiative.

"It is really a good move I must say. I believe that every individual and every society must follow us and do something about this issue. Each and every small effort by every one of us towards it can save the Mother Earth," Das concluded.

Air quality monitoring station becomes operational in GreNo; residents relieved

People across Greater Noida, who have been battling with severe levels of pollution, can now heave a sigh of relief as real-time Air Quality Index monitoring station at Balak Inter College has become operational. This will cover parts of Noida Extension as well.

It has been a long-pending demand by the residents of the area looking at the growing population in the city and pollution from the neighbouring places like Delhi and other parts of NCR.

Talking to City Spidey, resident of Greater Noida West's Greenshire, Sunil Jalota said, "It is a good development by the Gautam Buddh Nagar pollution department as it fulfills the need of the general public. It will help residents to know the real-time air quality index of the particular area and accordingly, they would take care of themselves, especially during winters."

He asserted saying the system should be introduced in all the areas which are densely populated.

Residents annoyed over the decision of toll plaza on the elevated road

The recent announcement of the Ghaziabad Development Authority regarding the setting up of a toll plaza on the elevated road has put residents of the Raj Nagar Extension in distress. The inhabitants of the area are all geared up to hit the roads to express their resentment.

Residents of Raj Nagar Extension are highly unsatiated with the decision and the reason shared by GDA officials behind the setting up of the toll plaza.

 To put forth the concern of the residents, the Federation of Apartments Owners Association met GDA on Thursday and demanded the concerned officials to take back the decision else the residents would have no option but to stage a mass protest to raise their concern and to make sure the autocratic decision of GDA is taken back with immediate effect.

"We apprised them about the sentiments of the residents. The decision to set up the toll plaza on the elevated road defeats the purpose of its construction completely. It's constructed to declutter the traffic jam that the residents face during peak hours. The toll plaza would discourage the residents to take the route and this is going to adversely impact the traffic," said Alok Kumar, President FedAOA

A few days ago, in a board meeting, the authority took this decision to extend the road till DND flyover and set up a toll on the extended route. The officials also considered over the existing elevated road. Chief Engineer of GDA, VN Singh stated this as per various media reports.

As per the sources, the main reason behind the GDA's decision of putting up a toll plaza is to recover over 1000 crores spent on the development of the road which developers of Raj Nagar Extension area haven't paid to the GDA.

Reacting on this, Kumar said that authority can't put the onus of their failure on the residents. "It's unjustified to penalise residents for their incapability to extract the cess from the developers," he said.

"Since the road would also be opened to heavy vehicles, the road of Raj Nagar Extension would become a route for the heavy vehicles coming and going to Meerut and beyond. It will adversely affect the traffic as well as to the current traffic chaos during the peak hours," said Anupam Singh, a resident of Gaur Cascades, Raj Nagar Extension.

Residents also fear whether the elevated road would be able to bear the weight of the heavy vehicles on it once the toll is operational.  "The entire road stretch is constructed with the support of single pillars keeping a load of light vehicles in consideration during its construction. I am really sceptical whether it would be able to sustain the extra load suddenly put on it," said Venkatesh Kumar, a resident of Ajnara Integrity, a high-rise in Raj Nagar Extension.

Theater workshop for kids held at Rishabh Cloud 9, Indirapuram

To enrich the summer vacations of their children with offbeat life lessons, Rishabh Cloud 9, a high-rise in Ahinsa Khand II locality of Indirapuram, hosted a weekend theatre workshop. The workshop started on Saturday and concluded on Sunday.

The event saw participation of over 40 children. The minimum age requirement to attend the workshop was 6 years. However, there was no upper age limit.

"Many mothers attended the event with their children and learnt a few lessons on performance arts," said Sandeep Pandey, secretary of the AOA of the society.

The workshop was conducted by Bhushan Ameture, a theatre group headed by Prithvijeet Chaudhary, an eminent theatre personality. Chaudhary mentored the kids and gave lessons on effective communication through body language.

“Body language is an important aspect of any performance and our day-to-day life. It not just adds an appeal to the act, but also breaks communication barrier," Pandey said.

Pandey also said that it's extremely helpful for introvert kids. "It helps children become aware of the possibilities of communication with the body using gestures," he added.

"Moreover, a good body language also helps you in making an impression or convey your message just with your postures," Pandey added further.

Besides, the participants also learnt tricks of voice modulation and projection in the workshop.