Govt to float Cabinet note for Rs 12,000-cr Delhi smart sub-city project

Last year, the Delhi Development Authority had expedited the process for constructing smart sub-cities in the capital at Dwarka, Rohini, and Narela

Delhi might not be a smart city but some lucky residents of the national capital might get to experience what it would be like to live in one in the coming years. A new smart sub-city is to come up near Vasant Kunj and next to the Ghitorni metro station, according to reports. 

The Economic Times on Monday reported that the ministry of housing and urban affairs is looking to float the Cabinet note for the capital's first smart sub-city project soon. According to the report, the Rs 12,000-crore Vasant Kunj Extension project will be built by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) in Ghitorni in south Delhi. 

The project, the financial daily reported, would be the largest greenfield residential and commercial real estate development seen in Delhi in the past 25 years. The report added that it would be a high-rise project that would be built on over 200 acres of land. Further, according to the financial daily, close to 30 per cent of the area is to be reserved for commercial usage while the remaining area will house close to 12,000 residential flats — half of which will be reserved for government servants and the rest will be open for private purchase.   

A senior government official told the financial daily on the condition of anonymity that Cabinet clearance was expected early next year. "The EFC (expenditure finance committee) note for the project has already been circulated. Since the project wouldn't require the Public Investment Board clearance as it is being self-financed, the Cabinet note will be directly floated by the ministry," the official said, adding that once approved, the project would take three-four years to construct.  

The Vasant Kunj project is not the only smart-sub city coming up in and around the capital. 

According to a report by The Hindu from August last year, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has expedited the process of constructing smart sub-cities in the capital at Dwarka, Rohini, and Narela.

In Dwarka, according to the report, the DDA had identified vacant land for the project. As of August 2016, the agency was looking for consulting firms that would prepare a model for an integrated township and advise it on implementing the project. Further, while the DDA had already floated a request for proposal (RFP) for the Dwarka project at the time of the report's publishing, it was set to float similar RFPs for the Rohini and Narela projects. 

The report added that the Dwarka smart sub-city would be built on 154 hectares of land while the Narela project would come up on 218 hectares and the Rohini one on 259 hectares.

According to the national daily, the smart sub-cities are meant to be self-sufficient townships. They will also provide their residents with round-the-clock water and power supply. Further, they will boast Wi-Fi connectivity, green buildings, and efficient solid-waste management systems.

The NBCC is also involved in another large project in the capital. Being implemented by the state-run company, the 'East Kidwai Nagar General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Redevelopment Project' was started in December 2014 and the entire project is scheduled for completion in November 2019.

According to agency reports, three components – local shopping complex, senior secondary school and banquet hall – of the project were inaugurated in October last year. They were built at a total cost of Rs 114 crore.  

This entire infrastructure, according to reports, runs on green energy. Grid-connected roof-top solar systems on the three buildings generate 250 Kw of electricity. Out of this, 200 Kw is used by the three buildings and the remaining 50 Kw is transferred to the grid.  

Under the project, 4,608 modern dwelling units will be built in place of the 2,444 units, in different categories, for accommodating central government employees.