Ghaziabad: Road to Indirapuram’s Amrapali Village likely to get a facelift

The entry road to Amrapali Village, a high rise situated on Indirapuram’s Kala Patthar Road might finally be reconstructed as Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) officials have stated that they have already done the groundwork as far as financial estimates are concerned. Residents of Amrapali Village have been demanding the repair work for this road, which is a little over 100 metres long, for several years now.

Residents have apprised City Spidey, that this road is filled with potholes and heavily encroached by shopkeepers. “The road has large potholes which turn into puddles during the rainy season. This is dangerous for pedestrians, especially, senior citizens and children,” said Rakesh Kumar, general secretary of the society’s Apartment Owners Association.

Speaking to City Spidey, SK Chauhan, executive engineer of GDA said that the estimate for repair work has been prepared and sent for approval. “An estimate ranging between 30 to 35 lakhs has been sent to the other departments for approval,” he shared.

Strangely, in September 2017, the Ghaziabad Development Authority had declared that this broken road was not in any need of repair. This announcement had come after a team of officials had surveyed the road.

FIRs against juveniles should be filled only for heinous crimes; say experts

After the CBI arrest of a high school student of Ryan International School, Bhondsi in connection to the sensational murder of eight year old Pradyuman Thakur people across the country are deliberating upon the code of legal conduct applicable to juvenile offenders.  

Gurgaon District Legal Services Authority (DLSA)’s seminar on Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act) that was organised yesterday to apprise all stakeholders of the intricacies involved in the subject could hence not have been more aptly timed.

Addressing the seminar that was held at the HIPA Complex in Gurgaon district and sessions judge, Harnam Singh Thakur said, “Today child safety is a burning concern and there needs to be more public awareness on their legal rights. All agencies related to child safety should come together and discuss essential steps that need to be taken to ensure their wellbeing and security. The judicial system, administration and child welfare societies should come together to spread the word on child safety.”

DLSA spokespersons stated that agencies dealing with juvenile offenders should ensure that their identity is not revealed and if it is a petty crime that he/she has been charged with only a daily diary report should be filled. They reiterated that FIRs should only be filed in the event of heinous offences.

“A juvenile should be treated with care and sensitivity. Police officers should not apprehend a juvenile in uniform and they should not be taken to the police station. They should be provided with a child-friendly ambience and proper counseling,” Narender Singh, chief judicial magistrate and secretary, DLSA, said.

Singh added that once a juvenile is apprehended, a social investigation report (SIR) should be prepared by the probation officer and he/she should not be treated as an offender.

“There should be better coordination between the agencies while dealing with juvenile offenders. Proper counselling is essential to ensure that juveniles don’t repeat their crimes,” said Singh.

Special judge of Gurgaon Children’s Court JS Kundu, 35 police officers, one police nodal officer, 15 panel advocates of the DLSA, 3 NGOs, CWC officials, representatives of the education department and the officer for child and women welfare were among the dignitaries who attended the orientation seminar.

Gaur Global Village AOA from Crossings now ISO-certified!

The AOA of Gaur Global Village in Crossings Republik, Ghaziabad, has got its association certified under the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system, setting a benchmark for other societies.

International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system. It specifies an organisation’s need to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that can meet customer demands.

It also aims to enhance customer satisfaction by including processes for improvement and by assuring conformity to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Speaking to City Spidey, Sanjay Kumar Jha, member of the society’s AOA, said, “The step was taken to ensure that the current and the future AOA bodies adhere to a strict set of guidelines to provide quality services to residents.”

He maintained that although residents’ associations are non-profit bodies, residents are still customers. “Since residents are paying for services, it is necessary to maintain a certain standard of quality for the services.”

The society has defined various heads of the services — security, lift maintenance, society maintenance, acquiring and appointment of vendors, and others. The quality standard has been measured by a set of quality metrics.

When asked what the AOA thought of ISO certification, Jha said that some of the society’s AOA members are ISO-certified professionals and service providers. “We decided to put in place a system to regulate the standards of services being provided in the society. We also haven’t heard of resident bodies being ISO-certified. This is probably a first of its kind,” he explained.

The ISO certificate

Umang Realtech falters on possession commitment for Gurgaon’s Winter Hills

After the recent incident of a balcony collapse in Monsoon Breeze, its builder, Umang Realtech, is again in the news for all the wrong reasons. Flat owners of Winter Hills, a project in Sector 77 by the same builder, had been promised possession by December 2015. But no development has happened on that front yet. In fact, work stopped some four or five months back.  

Spread over 17 acres, the 12-tower property has close to 750 flats. It started construction in the first quarter of 2012 and has sold more than 700 flats. Gurgaon News

Owners have already cleared more than 90 per cent of the payments.

“We have been constantly writing mails and letters to the builder, but there has been no confirmation about the date of completion. Only the superstructure is ready!” lashed out Sumit Saxena, a flat owner.

Chandan Krishna, a buyer, added, “The project is still not registered under RERA, so where do buyers go to make their grievances heard? Moreover, there has been zero communication from the builder about the completion of the project.”

Another buyer, Pankaj Rawat, said, “Umang Realtech is regularly failing on commitments, so we are being pushed to follow arbitration via court.”

When City Spidey contacted JS Jarry, head of customer service, Umang Realtech, he said, “The real estate industry is facing a cash crunch and we are on the threshold of getting loans to complete the project. We intend to give possession by end of 2018.”

Three Noida underpasses to be opened on UP Day

The underpasses at Noida sectors 60-61 and sectors 94-95 will now be opened to the public on January 24 to mark Uttar Pradesh Day. The underpasses have been under construction for about three years now. Noida Authority plans to get these projects inaugurated by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The CM is also set to lay foundations for several other projects in the city. It is not yet decided if the projects will be inaugurated in Noida or from Lucknow. Alok Tandon, Noida Authority CEO, has sent a letter to the government, seeking the CM’s participation in the events.

These projects have long surpassed their deadlines for completion. According to the original plan, work on these projects should have been completed a year or two back.

The Noida Sector 60 underpass will facilitate hassle-free traffic movement from Sector 71 towards the Model Town underpass near Sector 62. The stretch will no longer have traffic lights.

Commuters from over a dozen sectors, including sectors 125, 126, 127 and 128, will be able to head towards Kalindi Kunj via the Noida sector 94-95 underpasses. They will also allow commuters to head towards Akshardham via Noida Gate.

Noida Authority is also planning to lay the foundation stone for three more projects on this day. Under the new schemes, underpasses will be made between sectors 96-126 and under the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. The project is expected to cost Rs 97 crore. Two new sectors — 155 and 156 — have also been envisaged as industrial sectors. Noida News

Officials said work on these three projects will start within a week after the foundation stones are laid.

18,000 signatures gathered for online campaign to shift Kherki Daula toll

In the past 25 days alone, the Dwarka Expressway Welfare Association, a group of residents and homebuyers, has gathered nearly 18,000 signatures for their online campaign aimed at putting pressure on the government to shift the Kherki Daula toll elsewhere. They say it hampers intra-city commuting for nearly two lakh homebuyers who had shifted to the sectors along Dwarka Expressway.

Pradip Rahi, general secretary of the association, said, “Many commitments were made by the government to shift or remove the Kherki Daula toll, but now it’s been more than one and a half years and we doubt the government’s intention to do anything about the problem at all. It’s a daily struggle for the residents to cross the heavy traffic at the toll.”

The association had launched the campaign in the second week of December on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter and soon saw a huge response from people. The association is also planning a peaceful protest on the issue.

“On January 20, homebuyers will gather at Sector 84 and will lead a protest march to Kherki Daula toll. Those who have signed the online petition will join in. Our protest is aimed at drawing the attention of the centre and the state governments,” said Prakhar Sahay, a member of the association.

The association will also submit a letter to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Voter registration camps organised at Express Zenith, Noida

To help more residents exercise their right to vote, the residents’ association of Express Zenith in Sector 77, Noida, has started organising voter ID camps in the society. More than a hundred voters have filled in applications and submitted relevant documents at the most recent camp organised in the society. The camps, aimed at getting people to register as voters, are being organised in coordination with Matdata Jagruk Janmanch, an NGO for spreading voter awareness.

“I got to know about this camp from the management of Prateek Wisteria in Noida, and the organisers then got in touch with us. From what I have learnt, they are coordinating with the local BLOs [block level officers] to get the voters registered,” said Devendra Singh, member of the residents’ association of the society. Noida News

“Residents have to submit two copies of a passport-size photograph, and ID and address proofs,” Singh added.

Speaking to City Spidey, Pushpendra Yadav, a Matdata Jagruk Janmanch member, said that the organisation operated in rural areas on weekdays and dedicated weekends to urban areas in Noida and Greater Noida. “We first submit the information and documents online and later coordinate with the BLOs to take the process forward. These camps are being organised for free,” Yadav added.

The association is also planning to organise another camp this month.

Water supply to be hit across Delhi in the next 48 hours

Due to high levels of ammonia in the Yamuna water, operations will be suspended at pumping stations at Wazirabad, Chandrawal, Haiderpur I, Haiderpur- II, Okhla WTP, Dwarka, Bawana and Nagloi plants. This move will impact water supply across Delhi in the next 48 hours.  

North Delhi, Central Delhi, parts of West Delhi and South Delhi, Delhi Cantonment areas and NDMC areas are likely to be affected.

In a message released by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), people have been advised to store sufficient quantities of water. To make the situation easier, water tankers will be available at the following numbers — 1916, 23527679, 23634469, 23513073, 1800117118 (Central Control Room).

City Spidey got in touch with MLA of Matiala, Gulab Singh Yadav, on the matter. He said, “Dwarka is unlikely to be affected, but in case of a crisis, residents can contact the MLA office or call me directly.”

Environment expert Arvind Rudra, a resident of Sector 4, Dwarka, said, “This is a recurrent problem —levels of Ammonia rising twice or thrice in a year. This has to be taken seriously!”

A resident of Sector 13, MK Verma, said, “The DJB should send messages separately to the affected area’s RWAs, social organisations and the residents. They have sent only a general message.”

Temperature to dip in the next two days, predicts Met department

New Year’s Eve ushered in a chilly weather, and the forecast for the next two days is predicting a good dip in temperature.

According to the Met department, the minimum temperature today morning was recorded at 5.7 degree Celsius and maximum was 23.9 degree Celsius . Dense fog is expected in the mornings for the next two days, with no hope of sunshine.

“There was very little visibility in the morning, and driving in this fog was extremely difficult. But today’s morning felt like a winter morning,” said Naresh Saini, a resident of Sector 14, Gurgaon.

The bad weather resulted in almost 200 flights getting delayed from 6 am to 11 am. Several trains, too, got delayed.

Gurgaon, Uniworld Garden I: Man falls from balcony and dies on New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve celebrations turned grim at a flat in Uniworld Gardens 1in Gurgaon, when the 32-year-old tenant died under mysterious circumstances on the night of December 31, around 1.30 am.

The police are trying to ascertain whether it is a case of suicide or murder.

Hitesh Saini, shifted to the Sector 47 society about two months back with his wife, 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

As per the police, Saini died after falling from his tenth-floor flat, while his family and friends were present in the house.

The police are yet to register a case in the matter and are awaiting Saini’s sister’s arrival from Guwahati to conduct a post mortem.

According to the police, he had a business selling herbal products and was suffering from depression. He was last seen alone on the balcony around the time of the incident.

The police said his wife, who was inside the flat at the time, noticed a shadow on the balcony and, looking towards it, saw her husband fall.

“According to the family, he was suffering from depression owing to a matter connected with his sister. However, we haven’t ruled out the possibility of a murder, and are awaiting the sister’s arrival for more clarity,” said inspector Vijay Kumar, SHO of Sadar police station.

“Saini was taken to the nearby Park hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. He had consumed large amounts of alcohol,” he added.

The incident comes on the heels of a similar case, in which a 26-year-old IIT Kanpur graduate allegedly committed suicide by jumping to his death from the 23rd floor of DLF Magnolias, on Golf Course Road, on September 25, 2017. He was also allegedly grappling with depression.

Shockingly, there have been similar incidents in April, May and July, 2016, all in Gurgaon.

Noida-GreNo schools to remain shut till January 4

Taking note of the cold weather prevailing in the city, the district administration of GB Nagar has ordered all schools to remain shut from today till January 4.

According to the order issued by BN Singh, district magistrate of GB Nagar, classes from Nursery to Class VIII in all schools will come under the ambit of the order.

The order is directed at all state, municipal, private, ICSE and CBSE schools. It is also applicable for schools under any other board too.

It's completely white, as if the clouds have come down'

With the mercury dipping to single-digit temperatures, Noida and its neighbouring areas appear blanketed in a thick layer of fog. To Rohit Singh, a Noida kid in his early teens, the fog seems to have eaten up huge buildings and Metro stations. “It is completely white, as if the clouds have come down, and it’s extremely cold too.”

With his school declared shut, Rohit stepped out for an early-morning bicycle ride. He says, “My mother doesn’t know that I’ve stepped out in this cold. I sneaked out with my bike.”

Ramesh Jaiswal, another Noida resident from Sector 74, headed to his office in Delhi, fails to share the young teen’s excitement, and believes the white blanket to be smog. “I checked the Air Quality Index for Noida on the Sameer app, and it read ‘severe’. Even though it feels wintry and nice, I am sure it’s harmful,” opines Jaiswal apprehensively while rolling up his car windows.

Riyaz Uddin, a rickshaw-puller awaiting passengers near a Sector 62 society, maintains a stoical view of things, for he knows he must work, the cold notwithstanding. “I came here from Bihar to earn a living. I have to work so that my family is provided for.” However, winter mornings are difficult even for the stoical Riyaz. “I normally carry passengers to the market in the morning and then office-goers later. But during the winters, people wake up late and market trips coincide with trips for people going to the office.”

The sudden cold has also brought on a circular from the GB Nagar administration, ordering schools to remain shut January 4.

Barapullah Phase III work delayed till 2020!

Commuters waiting for a signal-free ride from East to South Delhi will have to wait quite a while longer, as the Delhi government will take at least two more years to complete the Barapullah Phase III elevated corridor, connecting Mayur Vihar I with Sarai Kale Khan.

The Public Works Department (PWD), which is carrying out the construction work through an agency, missed its December 2017 deadline and is now expected to finish the work by 2020.

PWD officials attributed the missed deadline to procedural delay. According to sources, delay in acquiring private land along the Yamuna floodplain forced the private construction company, hired by PWD, to stop work nearly three months back.

Officials in PWD said they needed to acquire two plots measuring 500 m and 250 m to erect pillars for the elevated corridor. The state government had started acquiring land in 2015 when the project began.

Sources said that landowners were ready to sell their land, but the legalities under the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 had put a spanner in the works.

A senior official in PWD said, “According to the new rules, before acquiring private land, a Social Impact Assessment [SIA] of the land has to be done. Though the process was started two years back, the government delayed appointing agencies for the SIA.”

The government finally appointed an agency for conducting the SIA in September 2017, and the report is expected to come through by March end, 2018. “SIA is a mandatory procedure to be followed in land acquisition. The government will have to ascertain whether the project is in public interest. It is done by a government-appointed agency, comprising experts, including officials of the district administration,” the official added.

“We were told that the government [urban development department] will take around a year to acquire the land after the SIA report is submitted. Once the land has been handed over, it will take a year and a half for us to complete construction. So we have set an estimated deadline of 2020,” the official added.

The Barapullah elevated corridor was planned in three phases. The first phase was constructed in 2010 during the Commonwealth Games, connecting Sarai Kale Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The second phase, which is also under construction, connects the stadium to INA market, while Phase III will connect Mayur Vihar Phase I to Sarai Kale Khan.

It is expected that the third phase of the Barapullah corridor will give a signal-free stretch to commuters moving from East to South Delhi, who will be able to make the journey in just 20 minutes.