Session Number:  31
Date of Debate:  19-Dec-1960
Debate Type:  Part 1(Question and Answer)
Debate Title Subject:  ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Debate Title:  Construction of 18-storeyed skyscrapers near Central Vista , New Delhi
Members Participated:  N.M. LINGAM
T. NALLAMUTHU RAMAMURTI
B.P. BASAPPA SHETTY
RAJKUMARI AMRIT KAUR
BHUPESH GUPTA
FARIDUL HAQ ANSARI
Question Number:  454
Question Type:  Starred
Questioner Name:  MAHESWAR NAIK
Page Number from to:  2417-2421
Ministry:  WORKS,HOUSING AND SUPPLY
Minister's Name:  K.C. REDDY
Issue Date:  18-Jan-2012
URI:  http://rsdebate.nic.in/handle/123456789/559231
Appears in Collections: Part 1 (Question And Answer)

CONSTRUCTION OF 18-STOREYED SKYSCRAPERS NEAR CENTRAL VISTA; NEW DELHI

*454. SHRI MAHESWAR NAIK: Will the Minister of WORKS, HOUSING AND SUPPLY be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Government propose to construct 18-storeyed skyscrapers near the Central Vista in New Delhi;

(b) if so, what will be. the estimated cost of these skyscrapers;

(c) to what purpose they are proposed to be put;

(d) what is the present stage of implementation of the proposal; and

(e) whether the proposal when implemented will leave adequate accommodation for the vast assemblage of people during the Republic Day Parades?

THE MINISTER OF WORKS, HOUSING AND SUPPLY (SHRI K. C. REDDY): (a) to (e) The Town Planning Organisation under the Ministry of Health has recommended the construction of several skyscrapers in the Central Secretariat Complex for use as office buildings. The recommendations are under Government's consideration and a decision has yet to be taken.

SHRI MAHESWAR NAIK: May I know, when plenty of open space is available at other places than this, why this particular place is considered suitable for constructing these skyscrapers?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I do not know what site he is referring to. The question relates to the place described here as Central Vista. Several office sites have been there. On some of the sites we have the hutments which have to be demolished today or tomorrow, very shortly. On those sites, we have to put up permanent buildings for the Parliament Secretariat and Defence Ministry etc., and there will be other composite office buildings. All these constructions have to come and it is with reference to those sites and constructions that this question has been asked.

SHRI MAHESWAR NAIK: Does it mean that the open spaces now available will be left intact as they are?

SHRI K. C. REDDY-. I have already answered that there are hutments on many of these sites built during the war. Their life was over long ago and they have to be pulled down and there are some vacant sites also.

SHRI N. M. LINGAM: Are Government satisfied that the skyscrapers are suited to Delhi after the recent earthquake shocks which were experienced?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I have already said that this matter is under the consideration of the Government.

SHRIMATI T. NALLAMUTHU RAMAMURTI: I thought that skyscrapers were built in such areas where there was space absolutely wanting. In this wide place, where I see a lot of land available, in Delhi, is it necessary to put up 18-storeyed buildings? Secondly, are they not much costlier than buildings with greater spread of land?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I am afraid the hon. Member is going into a discussion of the merits and demerits of the proposal. When we have got vacant space on which we can build, certainly there is no justification for us1 to go to far away places, 3 or 4 miles away from Delhi. As regards the desirability of putting up skyscrapers or 20-storeyed or 13 storeyed or 18-storeyed or multi-storeyed buildings of the functional type as we have put up in many of these places—we have put up 2 or 3 multistoreyed buildings—, these are technical matters.

SHRI B. P. BASAPPA SHETTY: May I know, since the question is under the consideration of the Government, whether it is advisable to invest such huge sums on such huge buildings in view of the fact that we have felt earthquake shocks frequently in Delhi?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I would like to inform the hon. House that so far as office accommodation is concerned, we are placed in a very bad way. In fact, more than 50 per cent, of office accommodation in Delhi, in spite of our having constructed such buildings, three or four of them in recent years, is still provided by hutments which are very dangerous and their maintenance cost is very high. In fact, the recurring cost is prohibitive. It is necessary for us to put up some more multi-storeyed buildings but we want to put up multi-storeyed buildings of a functional type, the structures of the type we have so far built. The Committee of the Planning Commission which went into this question carefully have considered and given their opinion that the buildings that we have put up are most economical.

RAJKUMARI AMRIT KAUR: I wanted to know whether this recommendation had been made by the architects that came out here under the Ford Foundation.

SHRI K. C. REDDY: Yes, the Town Planning Organisation, on the advice of the person whom the hon. Member referred to.

SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: We knew so far that only in congested cities where you do not have open spaces, people go in for skycrapers of this size or of a bigger size. May I know why, in Delhi, where we have got enough of open space, we are going to have this kind of construction, particularly when they would find lifts and other things necessary which would again mean greater amount of power construction?

SHRIMATI T. NALLAMUTHU RAMAMURTI: What is meant by Central place in these days of facilities of communication that we are creating every day?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: With regard the question by SHRI Bhupesh Gupta, we have not decided to go in for skyscrapers. This is the proposal by the Town Planning Organisation. We are giving our attention to this proposal but so far as C.P.W.D. is concerned, we had proposed to- put up multi-storeyed buildings. The types that we have to put up, 5 or 6- storeyed buildings, should be in tune with Lutyen's concept of the whole of the Central area. Whether this has to be followed or whether the Town Planning Organisation's proposal to put up skyscrapers will have to be accepted, are matters which will go before the Cabinet and the Cabinet will ultimaMR. CHAIRMAN: The question is, when you have such facilities of communication, why call one Central and the other peripheral. Mrs. Rama-murti has put a question and it has not been answered.

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I can answer the question but it requires elaboration on my part.

SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: Is the hon. Minister aware, since he is in charge of constructions, that apart from the speech of the Prime Minister against such big constructions, today, this kind of building, skyscrapers, and, town planning on the basis of skyscrapers, is not considered to be a modern idea?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: There is no such skyscraper in Delhi at all. The hon. Member is misinformed.

SHRI FARIDUL HAQ ANSARI: May I know whether the hon. Minister knows that the Mayor of Delhi has expressed the opinion against skyscrapers in Delhi?

SHRI K. C. REDDY: I saw a newspaper report that the Mayor of Delhi Corporation had addressed the hon. Prime Minister on this subject.tely take the decision.