BJP MP, Minister to meet with Delhi's Group Housing Societies

Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel on Wednesday said he will hold Delhi's first 'Mahasammelan' (mass meeting) of Group Housing Societies on Sunday to discuss various issues faced by residents of such societies and to plan out their redevelopment.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be the Chief Guest at the meeting, where BJP National Vice-President Shyam Jaju and Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha would also be present, he said.

"Besides addressing the host of issues faced by the Group Housing Societies in Delhi, the Mahasammelan shall also feature an open discussion on the Union Budget 2019," Goel told mediapersons here.

There are more than 1,200 Group Housing Societies in Delhi which house more than 10 lakh residents. Several meetings have been going on with the federations of the Group Housing Societies for the past few days, the former Union Minister said.

"Today (Lok Sabha MP) Pravesh Verma and I called upon the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi on the issues facing Group Housing Societies," Goel said.

After submitting a memorandum to the Lt. Governor, he said the problems of these societies should be addressed immediately.

"The development of the Group Housing Societies had begun in 1980..the conditions of these societies have become deplorable in the past forty years and today they are in urgent need of redevelopment," he said.

"These societies can be redeveloped as per the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 but strong decisions are expected from the government so that these colonies do not face issues of parking, community services, and other basic amenities post-redevelopment. Today lakhs of houses are in shambles."

Goel also said that it had been decided that the Lt. Governor would meet with the office-bearers of the Federations of the Group Housing Societies.

"The societies demand separate water connections to the flats instead of the single connection to the entire society. Besides, the issue of appointment of auditors by the Registrar of the Group Housing Societies too should be addressed," Goel said, adding that such a meeting was being held for the first time since independence.

The 'Mahasammelan' will also feature a discussion on the failure of the Arvind Kejriwal government on several fronts, including pollution, electricity, water, traffic jams and healthcare, he said.

( With inputs from IANS )