Hardeep Singh Puri, who excelled in the multinational environs of the United Nations as a diplomat, is ready for domestic political fights. As urban development minister, he is fighting the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, over a campaign to seal unauthorised buildings and extensions in the marketplaces of the capital city.
Puri, who does not see eye to eye with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, controls land in Delhi through the Delhi Development Authority, a super-regulatory body that operates over and above the state government and the three municipal corporations. Through the DDA, the urban development ministry has control over the city’s master plan.
Illustration: Bhaskaran
Puri has been stern with the traders’ bodies, which have called for a halt to the sealing drive that was started last year on the orders of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee. He has also asked residents’ associations in Delhi whether they want the master plan to be amended to condone unauthorised extensions of shops and use of residential areas for commercial purposes. The associations, which represent housing colonies and apartment blocks across the city, have been averse to any change in the master plan, as they feel that over-commercialisation will affect the quality of life in residential areas.
The traders’ consortium, which is backed by Kejriwal and Congress leader Ajay Maken, argues that the right to do business is being choked by arbitrary raids carried out by corporation officials with the backing of court-nominated lawyers and the police. A decade ago, the city had seen a similar operation to seal unauthorised floors and extensions in residential buildings. Urban development minister Jaipal Reddy and chief minister Sheila Dikshit, both of whom belong to the Congress, had then worked out an alternative that ended the sealing drive.
Aam Aadmi Party leaders have been critical of the BJP and its MPs. The saffron party, however, says Kejriwal is not interested in finding a solution, and that he only wants to slander the BJP. But, the fact remains that the BJP, whose MPs represent all seven urban seats, has not been proactive in solving the problem through the good offices of either Puri or Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who is also chairman of the DDA.
The BJP says the AAP, which has locked horns with the bureaucracy, is bringing disrepute to officials who are trying to carry out their legal duties. Puri, for his part, is also annoyed that Kejriwal and his cabinet have approved the ambitious fourth phase of the Delhi Metro, which the Union government says will only help in pushing up fares.
As the tussle goes on, Delhi continues to grow, attracting more and more migrants.
sachi@theweek.in