Sunday, February 26, 2017

DIAL’s grand plan for Aerocity high street runs into trouble

New Delhi: The city airport operator's plan to have a high street dotted with food and beverage outlets, upmarket shopping plazas and a pedestrian walkway at the hospitality district has run into rough weather. Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) to immediately stop construction work on the central street of its hotel area for alleged violation of norms and building more than allowed.
DIAL has been told their request, dated November 30, 2016, for setting up of F&B outlets, shops, toilets etc in the central pedestrian street has been examined and that there is no provision for these in the approved layout plan. "However, it has been found at site, on physical verification, that DIAL has gone ahead with the construction work without prior approval from AAI in gross violation of (agreement)," said AAI's GM (finance) V Vidya, in a letter dated February 9, 2017, to DIAL CEO I P Rao. "You are hereby directed to immediately stop the construction activities...and show cause explaining the circumstances under which the construction activity is being carried out at site...failing which action shall be taken as deemed appropriate," said the letter.
DIAL says it will reply to AAI and that it has an ambitious plan for the hospitality district's central street. The 'beautification' will start from the tunnel under the main runway between Terminal 1 and T3 and the work will be completed by year-end. "In 2008, we had got a plan approved for the hospitality district under which beautification of the common area was to be done by us while the hotels were to be built by successful bidders. The original plan provided for a very modest pedestrian street, just a pathway for people. We wanted to enhance the look and feel of the area for which Netherland's well-known town planner KuiperCompagnons was appointed," said a DIAL official.
26/02/17 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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