Gurgaon: 1,200 CCTV cameras to be installed at 222 locations by Nov

With an aim to bring down the crime rate and effectively manage traffic in the city, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has decided to install 1,200 CCTV cameras at 222 locations. Of these, 191 are in Gurgaon and 31 in Manesar. Gurgaon News

According to a Hindustan Times report, the first phase of the scheme—City Wide CCTV Based Public Safety and Adaptive Traffic Management System—is likely to be rolled out by November this year.

GMDA will finance the project which is estimated to cost roughly Rs 65 crore. After evaluating financial bids of two private companies for the project, GMDA had selected one. The authority is talking with the company so that work on the project can begin at the earliest.

A tentative list of locations where full and general surveillance measures will be deployed was shared on the GMDA website earlier this month.

GMDA had conducted a survey in November 2018 and identified 23 traffic intersections in the city where full surveillance will be carried out.

These intersections include Vatika Chowk, Sector 56 and 57, Sector 61 and 62, Kanhai Chowk, Bakhtawar Chowk, Huda City Centre, Z Chowk, Sector 17 and 18, Bristol Chowk, Subash Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Badshahpur Village, Khandsa Chowk, Pataudi Chowk, Maharaja Agrasen Chowk, Atul Kataria Chowk, Sirhaul Mor, Basai village, Captain Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, Rezang La Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Sector 12 Chowk, Mahavir Chowk and IMT Chowk in Manesar.

Both fixed and PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras will be used for full surveillance.

The rest of the 194 locations will come under the general surveillance category and will use only fixed cameras.

Integrated Command Centre and select police stations across the city will get a centralised live feed from all these cameras.

V Umashankar, CEO, GMDA, said that the system will benefit other agencies also. “It will allow the administration to also keep a check on things like waterlogging, waste dumping and other incidents which will need immediate attention.”

An estimated 600 km network of fibre optics will be required to connect the city’s 358 intersections, entry and exit points, and underpasses. Umashankar said that the project is being executed in coordination with the police department and the traffic police.

Indirapuram: Filthy sights irk Mahagun Mansion 1 residents; GDA under scanner

Winter is going to end and summer is approaching but the residents of Mahagun Mansion 1, a high-rise in Indirapuram are paranoid with the shift in the season. Reason? More than six years have passed but the issues of garbage, stench, and dilapidated drains are yet to be resolved.

The state is so worse that the boundary wall of the residential complex in Indirapuram has become a place for men to urinate in public! Moreover, scenes like garbage being strewn all around, stray animals, vehicle scrap left unattended and peeing in public have become a common sight here. The fact that the stretch lies just five kilometers away from Ghazipur landfill has left residents worried whether this will be another dump yard in making! Indirapuram News

“Every year, we witness multiple cases of dengue and chikungunya in our society. All because of the garbage scattered around our boundary wall,” said Sanjeev Sharma, a resident of Mahagun Mansion Phase I.

President of the society's RWA, GC Saxena said, “We have written dozens of letters to all avenues starting from the area’s councilor to MLA, district administration, civic authority and even MP, but the only thing achieved so far is that GDA has started lifting the garbage. Yet, they failed to stop the dumping.”

The officials at the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) had said earlier that although they make sure that garbage is lifted twice daily from the stretch, they haven’t been able to stop people from throwing trash here. “This is because it mostly happens during the night,” Manvendra Singh, executive engineer of GDA had told City Spidey.

When City Spidey reached Singh again for his comment, he refused to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, Abhinav Jain, municipal councilor of the area alleged the sanitary workers of the GDA of being hand in gloves with an encroachment mafia. They ask the shopkeepers to dump garbage at the boundary wall of Mahagun, rather than collecting garbage from their establishments.

“GDA could resolve the issue but it lacks will power in doing so,” Jain added.

Meanwhile, a few shopkeepers on the condition of anonymity concurred with Jain’s claim.

We are ready to pay if provided the facility to collect garbage from our establishments, but this does not happen and we are forced to dump garbage there, owner of a Biryani shop told City Spidey.

On one hand, where it is mocking the Swacch Bharat campaign of the government, the spot, on the other, is creating law and order situation for the area as well.

“Anti-social elements gather here in after sunset and drink alcohol openly. They also harass women passerby. Many incidents of eve-teasing and chain snatching have been reported in the past,” said JK Khosla, a resident of the society.

Encroachment issue: Noida Authority to develop 241 vending zones

In order to remove vendors and clear encroachments, the Noida Authority on Friday decided to develop 241 vending zones. The decision has been taken following the applications submitted by 8200 vendors last year. These vendors will now be issued licenses at designated locations by the authority beginning March 5. Noida News

The Noida Authority, in the first phase, will distribute licenses to 1100 vendors.

“We made the draft after studying the vendor policy of several cities,” an official of the authority said.

“Vendors cannot sell these spaces as they have been allotted by the authority. Moreover, any type of construction will be prohibited. Vendors, violating the laid norms, will be penalised with a hefty fine besides recovery of all the products and items by the authority,’ he added.

Shiv Kumar, a vendor in Sector-15,  while expressing his views on this matter told City Spidey, "It will be great if the authority allots space for people like me in a dedicated zone. I mean, I can run my business without any fear of action by the district administration."

A vendor zone policy was approved by the state government last year following which the process of forming a committee was underway. The committee will be headed by R K Mishra, additional chief executive of Noida Authority.

Now, a museum for antique cameras in Gurgaon, and much more...

Here’s something interesting coming up for Gurgaonites — a quirky camera museum, with than 1,000 cameras and photographs, is likely to open sometime this month in Chakkarpur village near DLF Phase 4.  Gurgaon News

The same was confirmed by MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav this week.

The museum, first of its kind for the city, will house the work of city-based photographer Aditya Arya. It will display portable cameras manufactured between 1880 and 1990 as well as photographs of historic moments chronicling India’s freedom struggle, Non-Aligned Movement, Sino-India War and Muslim League meetings, among others.   

Arya’s collection also includes spy cameras used in World War 1 and similar cameras used in World War 2.

Commenting on this unique cultural initiative, MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav said, “Let’s hope this place becomes a popular destination for tourists. We are expecting the project to be completed by next month.”

Arya’s collection had caught the attention of MCG officials in April 2016 — and the plan to execute up a camera-based museum was set in motion.

Initially, the museum was expected to be completed by November 2016, but was put on the backburner until November 2017 due to a delay in sanctioning of funds.

In November 2017, the MCG and Arya had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project.

Gurgaon: Roads to be improved in all DLF areas in next 3 months

Work to avoid infra gap in DLF Phase 1, 2 and 3 will commence in the first week of March. After the completion of work in the next three months, the colonies will be entrusted upon the municipal corporation.

As per news report published in the Navbharat Times, the assurance was given by the management of the DLF to the Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), Rohit Yadav, at a meeting presided by him on February 20. Executive engineers Dharamveer Malik, Anand Singh Rathi, I Ajay Panghal and Shekhar Basu, Anurag Dahiya and Vikas Yadav from DLF were present during the meeting.

 Gurgaon News

The meeting was called after Director of Town and Planning, K M Pandurang ordered takeover of private colonies on February 12. Meanwhile, DLF management said that the power corporation is working on the Smart City project. As a result, several potholes can be seen on roads. Moreover, the weather is not favourable to construct more of them. Citing these two reasons, the DLF management said the construction work will begin in the first week of March and within three months, all the damaged roads will be improved. Besides, the work related to stormwater, drainage water, sewerage and horticulture will be completed by March 31.

Further, the Joint Commissioner of the civic body concerned has directed executive engineer Anand Singh Rathi to work with the consultant company and prepare a plan at the earliest to expel rainwater in DLF Phase-3. Apart from this, the power corporation has been requested to finish the work related to the Smart City project as soon as possible so that roads can be constructed in these areas.

A total cost of Rs 14.12 crore in DLF Phase 1, Rs 9.43 crore in Phase 2 and Rs 11.89 crore in Phase 3 will be spent to fill the infra gap. A thorough study has been made by the consultant company associated with the municipal body to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Gaur City 5th Avenue: Residents want AOA elections after board examinations

The standoff between residents and builder is not coming to an end at Gaur City’s 5th Avenue. Now, seeing the maintenance activities going haywire at the society, the builder has suggested the residents to organise the AOA election by March 24.

But, as per the residents, this move was also lacking proper homework. They expressed their unhappiness over the dates for the AOA election as it coincides with the board examinations of students. They said that the builder decided the dates without applying their minds.

The residents said that board examinations are very important for the bright future of their children. They said that it is the time when their children want them the most. Election during that time can dearly affect the preparations for the examinations.

Preet Bhargava, a resident said, “We asked builder not to organise elections in the month of March due to board exams of class 10th and 12th which will end by April 3. If 40 people fight the election, they are supposed visit each flat. Parents and children are supposed to entertain the visitors which will affect their exam preparation schedule. For any parents, children exam is more important than anything else.”

Election requires a lot of activities within the society which includes campaigning by the candidates at the flats which can very well affect the children preparing for the examinations. Now, ball is in the court of the builder to think over the suggested dates for AOA election.

Meanwhile, the residents continue to be at the receiving end with the curtailed maintenance services at the society. The situation is such that seeing the shortage in cleaning staff, the residents started dumping their garbage at the maintenance office few days back.

Apart from the shortage in cleaning staffs, the number of security staffs have also been reduced by the builder. The residents are worried over their security seeing many crime incidents which are rampant in the area.

It all started with the arbitrary increase in the maintenance charges by the builder which residents had vehemently protested. The residents had unanimously opposed the arbitrary increase in the maintenance charges.

City Spidey had earlier talked to the head of the maintenance department, Sidharth Sood, to know about the situation at the society. He stressed on the need to form AOA within the society. He said that if there was an AOA at the society, things would have been smooth.

“As per the RERA, societies need to have AOA with 70 per cent of occupancy. We asked residents to form AOA and take handover of the maintenance because the service provider has refused to continue with the same amount. But, residents are deliberately delaying the election to the AOA. We decided to reduce the services in order to build pressure on residents so that they unanimously decide to form AOA,” Sood concluded.

Golden Palm, Noida: Residents complain of stray terror

Residents of Golden Palm, a high rise society in Sector 168, Noida, are facing stray-dog menace in the society.

There are 12 towers and over 700 flats in this high-rise.

About 400 people have been living in the society for the last two years, and the terror of stray dogs has everybody in its grip.

Rohit Singh, a resident, said, “There are over 25 stray dogs and dog attacks are frequent. A few dog lovers in the society feed these dogs on the premises — and these dogs now rule this area. We residents feel threatened.”

Children are not allowed to play outside for fear of stray dogs, confirmed another resident, who didn’t want to be named. "Last week, four dogs attacked a child, and he has bitten by them. He had to be rushed to the hospital for treatment,” he added.

The basement has over ten strays and residents are scared of accessing the area.

Noida Authority extends garbage-disposal facilities to 22 more sectors

Soon, expectedly by March 4, Noida Authority will have garbage lifted door-to-door from 22 new sectors.

The sectors include 17,18,19,20,21, 21A, 25,25A , 26,27,28,29,30,31,32,37, 15, 15A,16,55, 56 and Atta Village.

Noida Authority hired an agency for the work and the agency started door-to-door lifting from January 23. This will happen free of cost for the first three months, and thereafter, the agency will charge Rs 30 to Rs 150 per house, depending on the size of the house.

“The agency has further contracted a company for vehicles to pick up waste,” a Noida Authority official said.

SC allows arrest of Amrapali CMD, other directors for interrogation

The Supreme Court on Thursday permitted Delhi Police to arrest CMD of Amrapali Group Anil Sharma with two other directors. Shama was already detained to cooperate in the forensic audit of the firm. The Apex court took action on a criminal complaint filed against them.

Now, the police have been allowed to interrogate them in the cheating case lodged with the Economic Offence Wing (EoW).

 Noida news

The top court also ordered attachment of personal properties of Sharma and others. They have also allowed the EoW to arrest other Amrapali directors – Shiv Kumar and Ajay Kumar. They were in the custody of the UP police since October 9.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and UU Lalit said, “We never restricted the arrest. They have been kept in the custody of UP police at a hotel.” The apex court has been acting on a batch of petitions filed by home buyers whose possession of flats have been delayed due to the cases.

One of the petitioners, Ritesh Singh talking to City Spidey said, “Now, the EoW will interrogate the arrested directors under the criminal case filed against them. They were earlier detained for cooperating in the case. Now, they will be interrogated by the police.”

The homebuyers were ecstatic when CMD and other directors were detained by UP police on the orders of the court. They hoped that things will materialise and they would soon get an idea about the time frame of getting the possession of the flats.

Amrapali Group is yet to deliver around 42,000 flats in 10 housing projects in Gautam Budh Nagar.

Last year, Bank of Baroda had filed an insolvency petition before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) after Amrapali failed to repay a loan of Rs 56 crore.

The move caused panic among home buyers as according to them, their investment would not be protected under the insolvency and bankruptcy code as NCLT would give preference to banks before buyers.

In September 2017, a group of homebuyers from Noida had filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking protection of their investments.

Retail park in Greater Noida West by 2024

Good news for all the people living in Greater Noida West as a retail park named Marina Walk is in the offing. An announcement regarding the launch of the project has been made by the leading real estate developer, the Mahagun Group.

The retail park will be developed with an investment of over Rs 600 crore. According to the developer, the park would consist of a shopping area, multiplex, hotel and office spaces. The real estate group has proposed to sell around 4.3 lakh square feet area of the project and retain the balance with them.

Talking to City Spidey on the development, an employee of the Mahagun Group said, “The need for retail and shopping is ever increasing and with the growing residential population in Greater Noida West, the demand will grow for sure. Hence, we have announced the launch at the right time.”

Residents of the area do feel the same. They are of the view that though there are several markets in the societies' premises and nearby but there is no such place where they can spend quality time during the weekends.

“At present, we are left with no option than travelling approximately 11 km to reach Logix Mall near Noida City Center. Beside Mahagun, there are a couple of more such multiplexes which are under construction in this area,” said Vikas Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida West.

The project will avail bigger spaces like anchor stores, more than ten screen superplex, food court, hyper store and entertainment area. The hotel will spread across an area of 2.33 lac square feet. The office block will comprise 150 units of office spaces. The project is expected to be completed by December 2023.

Aimed to reduce accidents, Gurgaon cops to identify blind spots on roads

With an aim to minimise road accidents, Gurgaon police has decided to undertake a survey to identify blind spots of city roads, including the busy Delhi-Gurgaon expressway.

Gurgaon witnesses a very high number of road accidents yearly. Last year, 442 persons had lost their lives in 1,214 cases of road accidents registered. In 2017, 481 persons were killed in 1,389 road accidents. gurgaon news

According to an IANS report, KK Rao, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, said that an expert team will be formed under the initiative, which will include officials of Haryana Vision Zero, Gurgaon traffic police and officials from an MNC auto giant. The team will conduct a survey on different roads and submit reports with technical solutions.

Gurgaon has several roads with blind spots, where fatal accidents are common.

An official of Haryana Vision Zero said that 11 blind spots have been detected in the city recently. Out of these, seven are located on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway.

“These places don’t have foot overbridges, pedestrian paths and safe pedestrian crossing. They also have default curves and obstructions on roads leading to low visibility and design errors,” said the official.

Rao added that there are plans to install cones, spring cones, reflector tapes, solar blinker lights, barriers, sign boards, worth Rs 20 lakh, on the blind spots.

According to Haryana Vision Zero official, the traffic police is working on zero tolerance policy on drunken and rash driving cases which are largely responsible for fatal accidents. “Last year, 15,780 challans were issued under various road violations such as rash driving, red light jumping, wrong side overtaking and speeding," the official said.

No respite from muddy water supply for Noida residents

Residents from several Noida sectors have been complaining that Noida Authority for the past several days has been supplying muddy water, unfit for consumption.

Rajeev Garg, RWA president of Sector 27, said, “Noida Authority has hiked water charges in the city by up to 25 percent, and yet, they fail to provide us clean water for daily use. Every house has a RO system, and residents have no choice.”

Residents claim that they have taken their grievances to Alok Tandon, Noida Authority CEO, and also officials of Jal Department, but things haven’t improved. Noida News

There’s more.

“Noida Authority claims that it supplies water for three hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, but the truth is they supply water for only an hour during both times,” complained a resident, who didn’t want to be named.

Gulab Singh Bhati, a resident of Sector 20, added, “For the last three days, residents of several sectors have been doing even their household work with Bisleri water —  the water being supplied resembles gutter water, which can’t be used for even washing or bathing. Repeated complaints made to the concerned authorities, both written and verbal, during the past several days have proved to be a failure.”

A senior project engineer with Noida Authority’s Jal Department admitted to the problem and said, “The supply was disturbed due to the cleaning of water pipes in Ghaziabad. When the cleaning work was completed, we faced some power issues. But now, things have been resolved. And supply will be normalised.”

Noida Authority starts drive against illegal parking, roadside encroachments

The officials of Noida Authority have said that illegal parking of autorickshaws, e-rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, cabs and other vehicles will not be allowed on city roads and public spaces. Anyone violating this order shall be liable for penalty.

Noida Authority is also collaborating with city traffic police to remove encroachments from the roads. The first phase of this joint initiative will cover thoroughfare routes, especially the stretch from Sector 15 Metro Station to Botanical Garden, an official informed.


About 60 food vans have already been seized and over 200 shops have been removed, which were encroaching the roads.
Noida News
The officials at the authority said that they are also working on encouraging people to use multilevel parking facility instead of parking their vehicles on the roads. “We are educating people about the rules of multilevel parking. The charges for multilevel parking have been kept lower than those for ground parking. Hopefully, all this will make multilevel parking a success,” a senior project engineer of Noida Authority stated.

Speaking to City Spidey, an official informed, “Our aim is to free busy traffic intersections in the city from illegal parking and encroachments. Some such traffic intersections include Model Town intersection at Sector 37, Gol Chakkar intersection, City Centre intersection and Botanical Garden Metro Station intersection.”

Meanwhile, the traffic chaos in Noida can also be attributed to the lack of traffic personnel. There are only 162 traffic cops and 50 traffic marshals covering 403 traffic signals.

According to the traffic department, there are more than 5,000 autorickshaws (three seaters), 1,000 shared autorickshaws (eight seaters), 5,000 cycle rickshaws and over 1,500 unauthorized e-rickshaws plying on the roads.

Bearing the brunt of the chaos are the residents who are always complaining of huge traffic jams. “Traffic congestion on the six-kilometres long stretch between Sector 15 Metro Station and Botanical Garden has made life miserable for commuters, especially during the peak hours,” said Arun Singh, a resident.

Commuters say that the drivers of three-wheelers are the biggest culprit. “They drive erratically and apply brakes suddenly, increasing the chances of accidents,” said a daily commuter.

Rahul Kumar Singh, another commuter, told City Spidey that while the city roads are wide enough, illegal parking and rampant encroachments have added to traffic snarls. “The situation is so bad right now that we need at least one traffic cop present at each intersection to ensure smooth vehicular movement,” he reiterated.