MORE HOMES SC may have cleared land acquisition in Chhattarpur but DDA officials say it will be a tough job ( ) The entire tract of land measuring about 12,000 acre is not vacant. Many influential persons have land here.

The Supreme Court’s go ahead to the Delhi government to acquire approximately 12,000 acres of land in and around Chhattarpur in south Delhi might finally pave the way for development of this urban extension into a sub city like Dwarka — as envisaged in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD)2021.The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) — the city’s largest land owning and development agency — had proposed setting up five new sub cities in MPD-2021.The master plan expects the Capital’s population to touch 230 lakh by 2021. To cater to this population, the estimated additional housing stock required will be around 24 lakh dwelling units.The last new township that came up in the Capital was in Dwarka, in an area of 14,000 acres.The 12,000 acres that has been cleared by the apex court for acquisition falls under Zone J, which is one of the proposed self-contained sub cities.Located to the south of Vasant Kunj and extending up to the Gurgaon border, the township is to come up in an area of 8,268 hectares.It will have a capacity to house a population of 10 lakh.

At present, 30 villages and several farmhouses occupy the zone that is home to four lakh people.The zonal plan of the area has already been cleared by the DDA and is presently lying with the Union Urban Development Ministry for final approval.Once cleared, it will be notified following which the DDA will start work on the ground.But despite the apex court’s order, DDA officials are cautious and say that work on ground is fraught with risk and tough measures need to be taken by the DDA for the proposed sub city to become a reality.“The entire tract of land measuring about 12,000 acres is not vacant. Many influential people own land here,” said an officer who did not want to be identified.