NIA offers to take Maya's memorial building on rent

21 Jun 2012

Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

M Tariq Khan

tariq.khan@hindustantimes.com

LUCKNOW: As a follow up on its promise of putting unutilized open spaces and premises in BSP memorials to better use, the state government is now mulling a proposal to rent out their administrative buildings to government agencies.
Having set its footprint in the state and unable to find an appropriate office premises for itself, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has shown keen interest in taking up the administrative block building (1) of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Smarak in Gomti Nagar on rent. The NIA is presently operating from a small premise in Vijay Khand of Gomti Nagar.
While senior officials are tight-lipped on the matter, a source confirmed that senior NIA officials and its IG CV Ramashastri have already made a physical inspection and found the memorial office complex suitable to meet their requirement.
Besides a huge public amenities block comprising toilets, washroom and a canteen adjacent to it, the air-conditioned three-storied administrative block structure opposite the Ambedkar Memorial has 14 big rooms.
“Yes, NIA officials have approached us but a final decision to let out and the rent to be charged for the building would be taken by the governing body of the smarak samiti,” said a senior officer requesting anonymity. The memorial staff could easily be shifted and accommodated in the administrative block (II) building located at Jia Mau crossing, he said.
Headed by principal secretary, housing, the governing body has principal secretaries of PWD, Finance, Tourism, Law and managing director of Rajkiye Nirman Nigam, LDA vice chairman and chief executive office of NOIDA as its members. The NIA offer comes close on the heels of a secret visit by secretary to chief minister Alok Kumar to these BSP memorials, reportedly to make an on the spot assessment of these administrative buildings that can be put to other public use, according to informed sources.
“Be it the Baudh Vihar Shanti Upvan, Kanshi Ram or Ambedkar Smarak, each memorial has one or two huge buildings that are grossly under utilized and can easily be put to good public use,” he said.
A case in point is the milk booth that was recently opened in a small Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Gomti Vihar complex lying vacant near the Jia Mau crossing, he pointed out. “We can ensure their safety and security only if we put them to good use and spend the money we earn from them on their proper upkeep, said the official. For instance, guest house, barracks, public amenities and services at Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan and Ambedkar Memorial were being misused by police and PAC personnel, who had made them their permanent abode. “Efforts are now being made to shift them to flats built by LDA in its multi-stored housing schemes in Gomti Nagar and on Kursi Road,"
The NIA offer comes close on the heels of a secret visit by secretary to chief minister Alok Kumar to these BSP memorials, reportedly to make an on the spot assessment of these administrative buildings that can be put to other public use, according to informed sources.
“Be it the Baudh Vihar Shanti Upvan, Kanshi Ram or Ambedkar Smarak, each memorial has one or two huge buildings that are grossly under utilized and can easily be put to good public use,” he said.
A case in point is the milk booth that was recently opened in a small Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Gomti Vihar complex lying vacant near the Jia Mau crossing, he pointed out. “We can ensure their safety and security only if we put them to good use and spend the money we earn from them on their proper upkeep, said the official. For instance, guest house, barracks, public amenities and services at Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan and Ambedkar Memorial were being misused by police and PAC personnel, who had made them their permanent abode. “Efforts are now being made to shift them to flats built by LDA in its multi-stored housing schemes in Gomti Nagar and on Kursi Road," he said.