New Delhi, April 19
The city government has opposed in the Delhi High Court a fresh PIL for scrapping 5.7-km-long bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor here, saying the project was not in violation of the city's Master Plan 2021.

NGO Nyaya Bhoomi has alleged that Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) Ltd., a joint venture firm of the Delhi government, and the IDFC foundation, has created the 5.7-km-long BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand flyover in gross violation of the Master Plan 2021 of Delhi.

It was also alleged the stretch of the BRT corridor could not exist as the width of the road is not 45m which is the minimum width required for the existence of such a BRT corridor.

Opposing the plea, the Transport Department told a bench of justices Pradeep Nandrajog and VK Rao that the recommended road width in the Master plan was "30 m and not 45 m" for the "existing urban" areas through which the BRT would pass.

The affidavit, filed by KR Naidu, Deputy Commissioner of the Transport Department, said that the master plan suggests that "on all roads with right of way greater than 30m, exclusive bus lanes will be planned to implement the BRT system in a phased manner to cover the whole city." The court has fixed the matter for hearing on July 29.

The NGO, whose earlier PIL and subsequent review plea were dismissed by the high court on the issue, has filed a fresh one, saying it had been granted the liberty to move the court again, if the BRT corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand violated the Master Plan 2021.

The court had on November 21 last year dismissed the NGO's plea to review its earlier order by which it's PIL against the BRT corridor had been dismissed.

"Suffice would it be to state that in the writ petition, there is no challenge that the BRT corridor does not conform to the master plan norms and thus, we think that petitioner cannot even attempt to urge anything with reference to the Master Plan of Delhi 2021 norms being violated," the bench had said.

In its fresh PIL, the NGO has sought a direction to scrap the BRT corridor and declare it to be "in gross violation of the Delhi Master Plan 2021 and against the interest of public at large." It has also sought "removal of bus stops and the bus lane created with concrete structure and other obstacles from Moolchand flyovers towards Defence Colony ...".

The plea had pointed out that most of the time the bus lane remains free with the situation on other lanes, meant for cars and other vehicles, turning chaotic and the people getting stuck in jams for hours.

This non-observance of the master plan has "led to the chaotic situation and traffic jam on this stretch which leads to wasters of patrol/fuels and precious time," it said. — PTI

New Delhi, April 19
Citing the rising number of crime against women in the national Capital, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today mocked Delhi's official tagline launched by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, saying it should be 'Balatkar Dilli' (Rape Delhi) rather than 'Dildaar Dilli' (Magnanimous Delhi).

President of the Delhi unit of the BJP Vijay Goel said the capital has become unsafe for women and during the past 14 years of the Congress rule women do not find themselves safe in Delhi.

"Incidents of rape and molestation of girls, women are happening almost every day. The Chief Minister coined a tagline 'Dildar Dilli' but I say it is 'Balatkar Dilli'.

"The way in which a five-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped by her neighbour and the negligent attitude of the police in registering the case is very much condemnable. In south Delhi, three men raped a Nepali woman and dumped her. A two-and-half-year-old girl was raped in Najafgarh. In view of these incidents, is not it 'Balatkar Dilli'," he said.

He said the Chief Minister cannot shirk her responsibility by saying that even her daughter does not feel safe in Delhi when both the state and Centre is ruled by the Congress.

"A BJP delegation will soon meet Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on the issue of law and order in Delhi and the safety of women. If an appointment is not given by him within two days, we will protest in front of his house on April 22 and 23," he said.

"We are taking a pledge today to root out this corrupt regime and bring the right alternative back to power. And, we'll bring safety to people. We are preparing ou selves, especially the youth, as this occasion acknowledges the youth power today," he said. — PTI

New Delhi, April 19
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to develop the talent of youth who are interested in social and cultural activities. It will be done with the help of "Lotus Youth Power", a sister organisation of the BJP.

President of the Delhi unit of the BJP Vijay Goel said, "Our aim is to approach about one lakh youth in Delhi under "Lotus Youth Power". These will be the youth who use social media. Our objective is to approach those youth who are not interested in politics but want to devote their time to social and cultural activities."

So far, 10,000 youth have been enrolled as members of "Lotus Youth Power". Its membership is open for all the youth in Delhi. The online membership enrollment will be started soon.

Cultural and music programmes will be organized at the initiative of these youth from time to time. Similarly, those persons who are interested in sports and other activities will also be enrolled as members in due course of time, he said.

The party has decided to grant 100 scholarships of Rs 1,000 each to deserving youth in the field of music, arts and dance. Corpus of Rs 10 lakh has been created for the same.

Sources said that the Saffron party has started this programme keeping in view the assembly election to be held at the end of the year.

New Delhi, April 19
Claiming that 4,000 posts of teachers were vacant in Delhi University for several years, a section of the professors today demanded urgent steps to fill the vacancies, besides promotion of ad-hoc teachers.

"There are about 4,000 posts of teachers vacant for several years and these must be filled on regular basis," said SD Siddiqui, general secretary, Federation of Central Universities Teachers Association.

The professors also demanded long pending promotion of ad-hoc teachers in the university and said that extra weightage should be given to them at the time of permanent promotions considering their experience in the field.

Raising concerns regarding the improper promotion system for ad-hoc teachers in the university, Siddiqui said, "The long pending cases of promotion must be expedited and they should be regularised."

The teachers also demanded implementation of professorship in the college, comprehensive medical scheme and Academic Grade Pay of 12,000 to all professors. — PTI

New Delhi, April 19
The police must take cognisance of any attempt to cover up the "horrific" rape of a minor child in east Delhi and order a full blown inquiry into allegation of bribery, Congress MP Sandeep Dikshit said today.

"If there is any attempt on the part of the police or anyone else to cover up something as horrific as this, the police administration must take cognisance of this and order a full blown inquiry and see that nothing of sort happens and if it happens, action should be taken," he said.

He was referring to the case of the five-year-old girl, who was raped allegedly by her neighbour after holding her captive for four days and is battling for life.

Dikshit also said that if the allegation that some police officials tried to bribe the victim's family to not pursue the case is found to be true, it is a very serious matter.

"If the allegation of bribing is found true, it is a very serious matter," he said

He further said that he was happy with the arrangements made at the hospital for the victim's treatment.

"When I reached hospital, I was happy to see they have made necessary arrangements for such victims and maintained proper medical records," Dikshit said.

He said that the victim's mother was not happy with the way police had been investigating the matter and she felt that the police was not putting adequate effort to search her daughter.

"What the mother told us was that the girl went missing about 5:30 pm to 6 pm or so and after that they went to the police station. Around 8:30 pm they registered a case. She was not happy as she felt the police has not put adequate effort in searching the girl," he said.

New Delhi, April 18
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit (75) was successfully operated upon today for sinusitis infection by a team of doctors at Fortis Escorts Institute where she was admitted last evening. It was for the last one year she had been suffering from sinusitis and of late, she was down with nasal allergies and started experiencing nasal obstruction.

After undergoing the functional endoscopic sinus surgery, a minimally invasive procedure used to restore sinusitis ventilation and normal function she is now stable and advised for two-three days rest in the hospital, said doctors, headed by her personal ENT consultant, Dr Devinder Rai, vice-chairman, department of ENT, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

The surgery, which took about one hour, was performed under the care of her personal cardiologist Dr Ashok Seth at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute.

The team of doctors, comprising Dr Munish Munjal, Dr Nitya and Shri Ishwar Singh from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that the problem was such that it was impeding her day-to-day work specially her public speaking. "After the surgery she is recovering well and has been advised rest for some days," they added.

New Delhi, April 19
The ministers in the Delhi government were manhandled today at Swami Dayanand Hospital where they had gone to meet a five-year-old rape victim.

Scores of people protested outside the hospital where the girl is undergoing treatment. Delhi Health Minister AK Walia and east Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit were attacked by protesters as they arrived in the hospital.

Dikshit and Dr Walia arrived a few minutes before the girl was shifted to Lok Nayak Hospital from Swami Dayanand Hospital for better treatment. However, later she was taken to AIIMS due to her critical condition.

Some protesters, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members, tried to stop the ministers from entering the hospital premises and manhandled them.

Angry protesters tried to hit Walia from the behind but he was rescued by the police. Walia and Dikshit spent almost one hour in the hospital. Speaking to the parents of the victim, Walia gave assurance of best medical treatment to the girl.

The girl was abducted on April 15 and kept hostage for two days without food and water in a flat owned by the accused, said to be in his 30s. He lived on the ground floor of the building in Gandhi Nagar, east Delhi, in which the victim's family also stayed, said a police official.

The girl, who was raped repeatedly, was rescued when her family members heard her screams on Wednesday evening, the official added.

New Delhi, April 19
A man, who had trespassed the house of his physically challenged neighbour in the wee hours and molested his minor daughter while she was sleeping, has been sentenced to two-year imprisonment by a Delhi court.

"Convict Pradeep Kumar committed house trespass in the dead of the night in the house of his neighbour for assaulting the minor, and outraged her modesty," Metropolitan Magistrate Ekta Gauba said while handing down the jail term and also a fine of Rs 5,000.

The court denied Kumar's plea for release on probation, saying he "did not deserve it" as "offence against women are on rise in the city, and it is a serious public order problem if the women are not safe in their own houses in the night." Thirty-year-old Kumar, a resident of west Delhi and a plumber by profession, was caught by victim's mother and her physically challenged father while he was trying to flee after molesting the minor.

The girl's mother in her complaint had said that on October 7, 2011, she and her family were sleeping in the same room when they were woken up by screams of their 16-year-old daughter and saw a scantily-clad Kumar trying to flee from the balcony. She said she and her husband managed to nab Kumar and reported the matter to the police.

The victim told the court that on the night of the incident, while she was in a deep sleep, she felt someone touching her indecently.

She said that when she woke up, she saw Kumar misbehaving with her and screamed at which he ran towards balcony but was nabbed by her parents. - PTI

New Delhi, April 19
A 50-year-old man has been awarded five years rigorous imprisonment by a Delhi court for trying to rape a nine-year-old girl here in 2010.

The special fast track court convicted Bihar native Madan, a labourer, while relying on the statement of the victim. It imposed a fine of Rs 6,000 on him.

"In spite of incisive cross-examination, nothing material has been brought on the record so as to impeach her (girl) creditworthiness. In the witness box she withstood the test of cross-examination and her testimony is consistent throughout.

"The version of this witness (girl) on the core spectrum of the crime remained intact. There is nothing in her statement to suggest that she had any animus against the accused to falsely implicate him in this case," Additional Sessions Judge MC Gupta said.

According to the police, the case was lodged on July 20, 2010, on a complaint by the father of the girl who had said that he, along with his wife and daughter, had gone to his younger brother's house at Tikri Khurd in northwest Delhi.

On July 19, 2010, when he was sleeping in another room, his daughter came to him at night and told him that Madan, who was their neighbour and was sleeping in her room, tried to rape her and when she raised an alarm, he slapped her and threatened her not to disclose the incident, the police said.

The victim's uncle apprehended Madan and he was handed over to the police.

During the trial, Madan told the court that he was falsely implicated in the case. Madan's counsel contended that his client had given loan to the father and uncle of the girl and after he demanded his money back for treatment of his wife, they implicated him in the case.

The court, however, convicted him for the offences under various sections of the IPC, including rape, after going through the evidence placed before it and the statements of the witnesses.

"The act of accused Madan does sufficiently prove an attempt to commit rape upon the prosecutrix (girl) without her consent," it said. — PTI