New Delhi, September 9
The Sarai Kale Khan bus terminal has been operating on a green belt for the last 20 years, thus creating hurdles in its redevelopment project. The obstacles are finally removed.

The redevelopment of Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) is likely to take off from December as the Delhi government has cleared the objections put up by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for it being a green area.

"The ISBT revamp project was hanging fire as the DDA had placed several objections to it, the main being the land use of the area. The DDA, in its Master Plan, has mentioned the land use of 20-year-old ISBT as a green belt and hence disapproved any construction around it," said KS Gangar, Special Commissioner (Transport).

"ISBT Sarai Kale Khan has been in operation for nearly 20 years. Still DDA's Master Plan was calling it a green area and not giving the necessary approvals," he said.

The objection regarding the land use was raised by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation when the project was sent for approving the building plan.

"It took us almost a year to prove that the land use of a bus stand, in existence for 20 years, cannot be green under any circumstances. Accordingly, DDA was requested to make necessary corrections and issue clarification on the land use," Gangar said.

The tenders for the upcoming transport hub of South Delhi will be floated in December and the upgradation will follow soon after, said senior transport officials. It was Delhi government's plan to upgrade the existing infrastructure in the city to cater to an increased volume of passengers.

The new terminal will have a four-storey building, which will be integrated with Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station and the upcoming Metro station, thus facilitating a multi-modal transit.

The upgradation of bus terminal will be done in accordance with the international standards and the complete redevelopment of the ISBT will take 20 months to be completed.

According to the officials, the cost of the redevelopment is estimated at Rs 200 crore. The upgraded building will be pedestrian-friendly through a network of overbridges.

New Delhi, September 9
Eight girls, allegedly victims of human trafficking, were rescued by the Delhi Police from two different places in the city.

In the first incident, three girls, including a minor, were rescued by the police from east Delhi's Shakarpur locality on Friday. They were allegedly trafficked to Delhi and confined to a room, which belongs to an owner of a placement agency, according to the police.

The girls belong to Jharkhand and were allegedly trafficked to Delhi by "agents" on the pretext of providing them job as maids. "The owner of this placement agency, Kapil Dao Chaudhary, had received the girls in Delhi and confined them to his agency premises at Shakarpur," said a police officer.

The girls were sent to an observation home. Chaudhary was arrested from his residence in east Delhi. A case under the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act has been registered against him.

In the second incident, five girls were rescued by the police from a brothel at GB Road in central Delhi, on Monday evening. They hailed from Nepal, according to the police.

"We were informed that five minor girls were held captive at brothel number 56 of GB Road," said another police officer. "After they were rescued, they claimed that they were trafficked to Delhi a long time ago," he said.

The five girls were sent for a medical examination to confirm their age. The police have not arrested anyone as the girls did not reveal any names, according to the police.

New Delhi, September 9
To prevent child abuse, the Women and Child Development Department, Delhi government, has decided to bring out comprehensive awareness modules for children in three age groups and also for the parents, teachers and other care givers in homes meant for children.

The department is examining the awareness material brought out by the government, independent institutions, and civil society at a national level. Efforts are under way to put together modules in close consultation with experts from diverse fields like NCPCR, DCPCR and Directorate of Education from the government sector and civil society.

Principal Secretary (Women and Child Development) Satbir Bedi said the module for 5-8 years age group would describe examples of positive and harmful practices like defining sexual abuse, stress on personal safety, good touch and bad touch. It would arm the child with self-awareness techniques and reinforce his or her feelings of security and self-confidence.

The module for 9-12 years age group would explain forced sexual activity, sexual abuse and its prevention; understanding their bodies' changing physiology, and needs, among others. Need of assertiveness and refusal skills to resist sexual abuse and gender-based violence would be stressed upon. And the module for 12-18 years would empower them with legal provisions among other things.

New Delhi, September 9
BJP national general secretary J. P. Nadda, national vice-president Prabhat Jha and Delhi unit president Satish Upadhyay today jointly flagged off two truckloads of relief material for the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP workers in the Valley are working as volunteers without caring for their own families, said Upadhyay.

He promised full cooperation by the Delhi BJP in the relief work being carried out by the party in Jammu and Kashmir. The Delhi unit would soon dispatch medicines and other essential commodities, he said.