DDA for allowing commercial activities at petrol pumps
http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/13/stories/2005051313700400.htm
Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar
Opening of oil sector to private firms necessitates review of old policy
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority is favouring allowing of commercial activities of departmental stores, convenios and Automatic Teller Machines at petrol pumps across the city and amendments to the effect are being proposed in the Master Plan since at present no commercial component is permitted on the floor area ratio (FAR) allowed at petrol pumps and thus whatever commercial development has taken place is grossly illegal.
At the recent Authority meeting, the Vice-Chairman, Madhukar Gupta, explained the salient features of the policy on allotment of petrol pumps and gas godown sites. Subsequently, the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B.L. Joshi, who is also the Chairman of DDA pointed out that the old policy needed a review on account of opening of the oil sector to private companies, changing character of the public sector undertakings and in the light of the increasing commercial utilisation of the petrol pump sites.
Appreciating the initiative taken by the Vice-Chairman in finalising the new policy guidelines, the Lieutenant Governor agreed with the suggestion of the joint Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, P.K. Pradhan, that the initial period of licence should be more than five years and suggested that relevant provisions of the Nazul Rules should be taken up for modification if necessary.
The Lieutenant-Governor also advised early finalisation of the policy on petrol pumps on private lands in urban and rural use zones and the conversion fee to be charged from them.
The Authority meeting also approved the proposal which stated that whenever necessary provisions are made, DDA should allow commercial activity at filling-cum-service stations only within the permitted FAR of 20. Also, it noted that the Planning Department has not recommended any commercial activities at the filling stations.
The additional licence fee for the commercial component will be kept at 25 per cent of the licence fee for the area used for commercial purposes in addition to the regular licence fee of the petrol pump site. The commercial component or area that can be allowed within the permitted FAR would be decided after the amendment for permitting commercial exploitation at the petrol pump site is made in the Master Plan.
Finally, the resolution said the licensee will be allowed to exploit the commercial area on payment of additional licence fee and the commercial component will be part of the licence deed executed for the petrol pump site and will be treated as part of such site.
In another important decision, the Planning Department of DDA has already prepared guidelines for setting up of petrol pump sites on private land in the rural zones. It has also been approved now that it would prepare similar guidelines for setting up of petrol pumps in the urban area on the private land.
Such guidelines would envisage requirement of no-objection certificate or scrutiny from DDA to the effect that the proposal conforms to the land use plan of the Master Plan 2001 and subject to payment of conversion charges, processing and other requisite fees
While the Planning Department has been asked to draft such guidelines, conversion fee presently prevailing for setting up of petrol pump in the rural zones also need to be re-examined so that the rates become compatible with the rates of sites offered by DDA.
http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/13/stories/2005051313700400.htm
Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar
Opening of oil sector to private firms necessitates review of old policy
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority is favouring allowing of commercial activities of departmental stores, convenios and Automatic Teller Machines at petrol pumps across the city and amendments to the effect are being proposed in the Master Plan since at present no commercial component is permitted on the floor area ratio (FAR) allowed at petrol pumps and thus whatever commercial development has taken place is grossly illegal.
At the recent Authority meeting, the Vice-Chairman, Madhukar Gupta, explained the salient features of the policy on allotment of petrol pumps and gas godown sites. Subsequently, the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi, B.L. Joshi, who is also the Chairman of DDA pointed out that the old policy needed a review on account of opening of the oil sector to private companies, changing character of the public sector undertakings and in the light of the increasing commercial utilisation of the petrol pump sites.
Appreciating the initiative taken by the Vice-Chairman in finalising the new policy guidelines, the Lieutenant Governor agreed with the suggestion of the joint Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, P.K. Pradhan, that the initial period of licence should be more than five years and suggested that relevant provisions of the Nazul Rules should be taken up for modification if necessary.
The Lieutenant-Governor also advised early finalisation of the policy on petrol pumps on private lands in urban and rural use zones and the conversion fee to be charged from them.
The Authority meeting also approved the proposal which stated that whenever necessary provisions are made, DDA should allow commercial activity at filling-cum-service stations only within the permitted FAR of 20. Also, it noted that the Planning Department has not recommended any commercial activities at the filling stations.
The additional licence fee for the commercial component will be kept at 25 per cent of the licence fee for the area used for commercial purposes in addition to the regular licence fee of the petrol pump site. The commercial component or area that can be allowed within the permitted FAR would be decided after the amendment for permitting commercial exploitation at the petrol pump site is made in the Master Plan.
Finally, the resolution said the licensee will be allowed to exploit the commercial area on payment of additional licence fee and the commercial component will be part of the licence deed executed for the petrol pump site and will be treated as part of such site.
In another important decision, the Planning Department of DDA has already prepared guidelines for setting up of petrol pump sites on private land in the rural zones. It has also been approved now that it would prepare similar guidelines for setting up of petrol pumps in the urban area on the private land.
Such guidelines would envisage requirement of no-objection certificate or scrutiny from DDA to the effect that the proposal conforms to the land use plan of the Master Plan 2001 and subject to payment of conversion charges, processing and other requisite fees
While the Planning Department has been asked to draft such guidelines, conversion fee presently prevailing for setting up of petrol pump in the rural zones also need to be re-examined so that the rates become compatible with the rates of sites offered by DDA.