Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Launches the First Lecture Award in the Honour of Professor M.G.K. Menon

Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan Launches the First Lecture Award in the Honour of Professor M.G.K. Menon 


Union Minister of Science & Technology & Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that the Prime Minister who wants to take the country ahead on fast track needs support of all professional organisations and scientific bodies to make programmes conceived by him a success. Launching the first lecture award in the honour of Professor M.G.K. Menon at the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in New Delhi today, he said science has to be brought into play for the benefit of our people. He said science has a solution to every problem. 

Complimenting Professor M.G.K.Menon who was present on the occasion, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said that his Ministry is trying to collate inspiring moments and aspects of all great Indian scientists. He said his Ministry will also take advice from Professor M.G.K. Menon who had also been the Union Minister of State for Science & Technology besides having headed and been associated with various scientific institutions. 

Several dignitaries including Professor Dr. P.N.Tandon, President of the INSA, Professor Akhilesh Tyagi have complimented Professor M.G.K.Menon on the occasion. Later, Professor Govind Swarup delivered the first award lecture in the honour of Professor M.G.K.Menon. 

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Tourism Minister of Mizoram Shri John Rotluangliana meets Dr Mahesh Sharma, seeks central assistance for development of tourism in the state of Mizoram 

The Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge), Culture (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma held a meeting with the Tourism Minister of Mizoram, Shri John Rotluangliana in New Delhi today. The Tourism Minister of Mizoram met the Union Tourism Minister to seek central assistance for development of tourism in the state of Mizoram. 

Dr. Mahesh Sharma informed that Mizoram is included in the mega project of the North East Circuit under the scheme of Swadesh Darshan. Mizoram has submitted proposals for two tourism projects iei) integrated development of Eco Tourism, Adventure Sports and Wellness at Serlui B Lake surroundings and ii) integrated development of Eco Tourism at Thanzawal under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism.. 

Shri John Rotluanglianarequested Dr Mahesh Sharma to release some outstanding funds for the projects started under the scheme of PIDDC. Dr. Mahesh Sharma assured that the demands of the state government will be examined and all possible assistance will be extended to help the state of Mizoram for development of tourism. 

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Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ) in New Delhi proposed to be reduced by 5.13 sq.kms 


Areas to  be excluded - Bengali Market, Jor Bagh, Sundar Nagar, Golf Links, Chanakyapuri etc

Existing green areas of LBZ to be retained ; Supreme Court premises to be brought back to LBZ

20 FAR and 12 m height limit for bungalows ; Basement to be allowed
for commercial and institutional purposes - 32 m building height and 3 level basement

To ensure transparency in demarcation, public views invited on the proposals for the first time


      Based on several representations form various organisations and individuals, the Ministry of Urban Development has proposed to demarcate the Lutyens Bungalow Zone (LBZ) in New Delhi in a transparent manner and accordingly has sought suggestions and objections to the proposals in this regard. Minister of Urban Development Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has directed that the proposals for fresh demarcation of LBZ be placed in public domain. As per the Minister’s direction, the report submitted by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) has been uploaded today on the Ministry’s website (http://moud.gov.in) inviting comments/views/suggestions to be sent to Secretary, DUAC by post or mail (lbzguidelines@gmail.com) by October 15, 2015.

      This is the first time public views are proposed to be taken into consideration before demarcating LBZ which was not done when the first demarcation was done in 1988 and for the second time in 2003.

      As per the Report submitted by DUAC on the behest of the Ministry of Urban Development, the LBZ area is proposed to be reduced by 5.13 sq.kms to 23.60 sq.kms from the present 28.73 sq.kms. The LBZ area of 25.88 sq.km demarcated for the first time in 1988 increased to 28.73 sq.kms in 2003 with the inclusion of new areas such as Babar Road, Bengali Market, Sundar Nagar, Jor Bagh, Panchsheel Marg, parts of diplomatic area in Chanakyapuri.

                  DUAC has proposed to keep the LBZ boundary close to the original boundary envisaged by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1912 while removing the transformed/commercialized areas/modern colonies which do not bear any semblance to the Lutyens Bungalow character and retaining green areas which were included in LBZ in 1988.  

      DUAC, accordingly, in their Report submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development on 12.8.2015 has now proposed to exclude areas such as Jor Bagh, Golf Links, Sunder Nagar, Bengali Market, Ashoka Road, Mandir Marg, Panchsheel Marg, Sardar Patel Marg and Chanakyapuri  from LBZ area.
      Premises of Supreme Court of India which was deleted from LBZ in 2003 is now  proposed to be included in LBZ.

      In the proposed development control norms for residential bungalows, FAR of 20 with 12.50% ground coverage is suggested while in the present guidelines FAR is not specified. Basement has been proposed to be allowed within the building line, only for household storage and car parking. Building height is to be restricted to 12 m and the number of dwelling units to range from 1 to 4 depending upon the size of the plot. Setback norms will depend on the plot size.

      For development or redevelopment of plots/premises for non-residential purposes, it is proposed to apply the norms of Master Plan for Delhi-2021 and Delhi Building Bye-laws, 1983.  However, overall building height shall not be more than 32 m with up to 3-level basement for parking which will not be included in FAR. A total of 7 floors including ground floor is proposed to be allowed.

      Representations being received in the Ministry of Urban Development largely related to: Allowing construction of additional floor/dwelling unit within permissible height, Allowing basement in the existing residential plots, Excluding post-Independence residential plotted development colonies like Bengali Market, Babar Road, Golf Links etc. , and Applying development control norms of MPD-2001/2021.

      Report of DUAC will be examined after receipt of comments, views, suggestions and objections from the public.

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