Illegal constructions
Lokayukta notices to BSP chief, dy mayor
New Delhi, July 17
Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin today issued notices to the president of the Delhi unit of the BSP Brahm Singh and his brother Bir Singh, who is the deputy mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, for allegedly encroaching upon public land and carrying out unauthorised constructions.

BJP backs CRRI report on BRT corridor
New Delhi, July 17
The BJP today supported the report of the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) on BRT corridor submitted to the Delhi High Court which has highlighted many defects in this route.

Car catches fire after accident near PM’s house
New Delhi, July 17
A Range Rover car crashed into a Toyota Corolla car and was engulfed in the fire at a crossing on Safdarjung Road in New Delhi on Monday night. The incident occurred almost 100 meters from the Prime Minister's residence. According to the police, no one has been injured in the accident.

Illegal constructions
Lokayukta notices to BSP chief, dy mayor
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17
Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin today issued notices to the president of the Delhi unit of the BSP Brahm Singh and his brother Bir Singh, who is the deputy mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, for allegedly encroaching upon public land and carrying out unauthorised constructions.

The notices have been issued following an anonymous complaint against the brothers.

According to sources, Bir Singh has deposed before the Lokayukta that the property in question, which is in Sarita Vihar, belongs to his brother Brahm Singh. Bir Singh further said that he had no objection in bringing changes on the premises of the property in conformity with the municipal bylaws.

Besides, the Lokayukta has also issued notices to the deputy commissioner of the South Delhi municipal corporation, directing him to submit a status report regarding the alleged encroachment and unauthorised construction.

Meanwhile, the Lokayukta has also issued a notice to another municipal councillor in south Delhi for allegedly carrying out unauthorised constructions in Hauz Khas Village.

The sources said that according to an enquiry conducted by the investigation wing of the Lokayukta office, there are many unauthorised constructions in the south Delhi area. According to the sources, there are seven properties that have illegal constructions — six in Hauz Khas Village and another in Green Park.

BJP backs CRRI report on BRT corridor
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17
The BJP today supported the report of the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) on BRT corridor submitted to the Delhi High Court which has highlighted many defects in this route.

In its report, the CRRI has categorically rejected the BRT corridor, saying that due to slow movement of the traffic on the BRT from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand fly over, fuel worth more than Rs 2.48 crore is being wasted annually, said leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijay Kumar Malhotra.

The BJP has been protesting against this concept from its beginning. However, due to the adamant stand of Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, thousands of crores of rupees have been wasted which tantamount to "criminal conspiracy" and wastage of hard earned money of the tax payers, he said.

He demanded that the Chief Minister should set aside her rigid stand and accept the report of the CRRI. She should honour the court's direction and scrap the BRT corridor altogether.

The BRT was to be constructed from Ambedkar Nagar to Delhi Gate, but it was stopped at Moolchand fly over. The government wanted to construct the same corridor in the Trans Yamuna area and other places, but so far the work has not been started.

However, the Minister of State for Transport, Arvinder Singh Lovely said that the government is still in favour of the BRT as it benefits more people. Movement of buses is fast on the corridor and majority of the people travel in the buses. The problem is being faced by those who travel in cars. The project is for majority of the people.

Car catches fire after accident near PM’s house
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17
A Range Rover car crashed into a Toyota Corolla car and was engulfed in the fire at a crossing on Safdarjung Road in New Delhi on Monday night. The incident occurred almost 100 meters from the Prime Minister's residence. According to the police, no one has been injured in the accident.

A police case was not registered as both the parties had reached a compromise. Three fire tenders were sent to the site of the accident to douse the fire of Range Rover.

According to eyewitnesses, the Range Rover car belonged to the Crown Plaza Hotel in Gurgaon. It was coming from Kamal Ata Turk Marg at a very high speed. The car driver, Devinder, was accompanied by another youth, who had to reach the Hotel Ramada in Delhi.

Range Rover jumped the lights on the crossing and rammed into the Toyota Corolla car. The Toyota Corolla was being driven by Rajnesh Chopra, a businessman who lives in Gautam Nagar.

After ramming into Corolla, the Range Rover driver could not control the car which overturned several times in the air before hitting the ground.

2 held with rare tortoise
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17
Two men were yesterday arrested for allegedly possessing a tortoise of a rare species. They were nabbed while going to Prem Nagar in search of a buyer for the creature. The men have been identified as Sanjay (22), a resident of Ajmer in Rajasthan, and Raju Chaturvedi (36) of Sonia Vihar in Delhi.

"They dealt in rare species of wild animals. The tortoise that has been seized belongs to a rare species called Indian Soft Shield Turtle. Sanjay told us that he had caught the creature at Bayawar Village in Rajasthan. The two have claimed that the price of the animal is above Rs 5 lakh" said additional commissioner of police (central district) Devesh Chandra Srivastva.

They were arrested at Balraj Khanna Marg in Patel Nagar.

A case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered against Raju and Sanjay at the Patel Nagar police station.

Later, the tortoise was set free in the Yamuna.