Citing delay in various important projects like Central Vista, Metro Phase IV, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), Dwarka Expressway, Delhi lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to fix responsibility for more than year-long pending permissions for tree removal, officials in the LG’s office said on Thursday.
According to the norms, the Delhi government’s Forest Department has to decide on tree-cutting/ translocation applications within 60 days, but in several cases the pendency has exceeded more than one year, they said.
The LG has said that accountability needs to be fixed for delay in permission for tree cutting /transplantation, which is resulting in waste of public funds due to time and cost overrun of the projects, the officials stated.
“The LG has requested the chief minister to dispose of the pending applications in accordance with the statutory provisions,” an official said.
Other projects that are delayed due to the pending permission of the Forest department include EMU at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station, redevelopment of general pool accommodation at Sarojini Nagar, construction of executive enclave of Central Vista project, construction of residential quarters for CISF among others, according to the officials.