New Delhi: Despite the Supreme Court hearing over a 39-storey building right next to Vishwavidyalaya metro station being underway, the North MCD has in a curious move approved the building plan for the highrise.
The Delhi University had objected to the construction of the building, being constructed by a private builder on grounds that it would violate the 2021 Master Plan of Delhi and pose a threat to the safety of its students, given the presence of multiple women's hostels in the area.
The Millennium Post had reported last year that Delhi University was planning to approach the Apex court with their plea after it was dismissed by the Delhi high court in 2015, ruling that the land was not part of the university's north campus. The DU had then approached the High Court again last year, which then dismissed the application, questioning why the varsity took so much time to revisit the plea. However, refuting the DU's claims a corporation official insisted that "all issues have been settled" and that the builder had complied with all the rules.
According to a varsity official, the land for the building was purchased by DMRC for Rs 42.4 crore from the Defense Ministry, and then sold to a private builder for Rs 218 crore.
The DU official had said at the time that the specific contention was the contravention of Clause 11.3 of the 2021 Master Plan of Delhi (MPD), according to which "restrictions on tall buildings would be necessary for important areas like... North Delhi campus."
The DU now plans to use a letter written in 1943 by a British India government official, in the Apex court and believes it will prove their case.