New Delhi, October 11
Redressing the public grievances within the stipulated timeframe, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) issued 2,000 conveyance deeds as part of its drive to help people convert their property from leasehold to freehold.

Special camps were organized by the DDA at Nagarik Suvidha Kendras for the purpose where both offline and online applications were entertained.

At these special centres, cases of mutation of property, permission regarding the mortgage and extension of construction time was also expedited apart from disposing of conversion cases.

"Around 3,800 applications for conversion were received during 100 days and more than 6,000 pending applications for conversion were disposed of," said a senior DDA official.

On-the-spot scrutinizing of applications, computerized generation of challans and doing all other necessary formalities for convenience of citizens are done at designated counters of Suvidha Kendras after giving self-generated tokens to the applicants at the Kendra.

"The pendency of conversion cases was considerably reduced as most of the applications are disposed of within the stipulated time of 45 days," he said.

Many conversion applications were pending for want of a sanctioned building plan or a no-objection certificate (NoC) from the housing society. All these requirements have been done away with subject to certain conditions as notified from time to time, added the senior DDA official.

New Delhi, October 11
Two Delhi Police constables were shot at by one of the three men riding a motorcycle in New Delhi's Connaught Place area on Saturday night.

The constables also fired back at the assailants, but nobody has been hurt in the incident, according to the police.

Constables Prateek and Sandeep, posted at the Connaught Place police station, were on beat patrolling when the incident took place at around 8.30 pm. They had information about some anti-social elements in the area and were on duty to check it. They had noticed three men on a motorcycle and signalled them to stop after finding them suspicious near Mayur Bhavan in Connaught Place, according to the police.

The three men did not stop the motorcycle. "They were chased by the two policemen on a motorcycle and intercepted near Railway Colony in Connaught Place," said a police officer. It is alleged that one of the assailants took out a pistol and opened fire at the two constables. They fired four shots and the constables also fired a shot in retaliation. No one was injured.

"The attackers intended to continue shooting, but ran out of cartridges," the source added. The three men then left the motorcycle and ran in different directions during which one of them was overpowered by the locals. He was beaten up before more police force reached at the spot.

"The man was arrested. He was taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi for treatment," the source said. The police are finding out his identity.

A case under the section of attempt to murder of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act will be registered at the Barakhamba Road police station.

New Delhi, October 11
A 25-year-old woman was found murdered under mysterious circumstances this morning at her residence in Chandni Mahal area of Central Delhi, following which her husband was detained by the police for questioning.

The body of Samira Parveen was discovered by her husband, Fareed Ahmad, at their first floor residence in the morning.

Ahmad claimed that when he returned to house in Gali Kumharon ki area, he found Samira lying in a pool of blood. As he raised an alarm, neighbours gathered at the spot following which police was informed.

"We got a PCR call at around 8:20 PM following which a police team rushed to the spot. She had injuries on the neck and head. A pan (tawa) recovered from near the body. It is suspected that the utensil was used to attack the woman. However, the actual cause of death will be revealed only in the autopsy report," said a police official.

Neighbours told that the couple did not share a good relationship and quarrelled often.

Ahmad has been detained by the police for questioning.

"Ahmad has been detained and is being questioned. A case of murder has been registered and we are investigating the case from all possible angles," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Central) Alok Kumar.

The couple, were married around four years ago, they also had a two-and-a-half year old child. They have had an argument over something last night after which Fareed had left the house, police said.--PTI

New Delhi, October 11
Parking cars will become an online affair as people would soon be able to book a parking slot online.

An online booking system facility to book a parking lot through the New Delhi Municipal Council's website has been planned to help commuters block their slots in advance.

The Delhi Integrated Multi-modal Transit System (DIMTS), which has undertaken the management of parking lots falling in the area of NDMC is developing the system aimed at making parking in the city hassle-free.

Commuters will be able to check the availability of parking slots on NDMC's website which will identify the number of cars that can be parked by paying online. The system is created as part of the 'Smart City' project, to get new and smart facilities related to car parking that will come with modern technologies and trained service staff.

New Delhi, October 11
Hopes of thousands of aspirants seeking admissions to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIU) and institutions affiliated to it now rest on the Supreme Court (SC) which will hear the matter on October 13.

Nearly a dozen institutions attached to GGSIU have allegedly granted "direct provisional admissions" to desirous students-a clear violation of the university ordinance on counselling and admissions-against submission of Rs 10,000 as fees to the university. Mostly such institutes/colleges do not provide the clear picture to the aspirant or parents.

It has been learnt from officials of the university as well as parents themselves that institutions have also gone to the extent of granting direct admission to students whose names were not even on the fourth (special) counselling list.

Pointing out that parents and the university are equally to be blamed, a senior faculty at the GGSIU on condition of anonymity said, "Direct admissions have been a practice and even last year, the university later allowed colleges for open counselling. University has to send a message and penalise such institutions indulging in wrong practices."

"Colleges misguiding students should be taken to task. The university should take action against those colleges which have conducted faulty admissions," asserted RN Jindal, chairman of the Self Financing Educational Institutions Association.

"We have admitted our child through direct counselling in September first week as we were told that admission would be confirmed. Many students like my child have been attending the classes since August 19 but now the university has decided otherwise," said mother of a first year student of Bachelor of Business Administration in Rohini-based institute.

Gaurav Kansal who has taken provisional admission in BBA at Rukmani Devi Institute of Advanced Studies said, "There is hardly any option left as internals have already begun everywhere. We want that direct counselling should begin so that our one year is not lost. The university has ignored our concerns."

The counsel of the section opposed to the university, Sanjay Sharawat, said, "The Supreme Court issued notices in all seven cases pertaining to the special counselling. In next hearing, it would take up the matter comprehensively and it is likely that the students not admitted may be called. The university has to bow to the court's decision."

Decrying the university's stand and the withdrawal of online special counselling notification, the affected students and parents urge the SC to direct the university to resume the fourth counselling for 10 undergraduate and post-graduate courses so that one year is not wasted at a time when most of the universities have already closed their counselling process.

Many among such students have also sought the intervention of Union Human Resource and Development minister Smriti Irani in the matter crying foul about the prospectus fee the GGSIU is charging besides the registration fee.

The apex court would be hearing pleas, seeking relaxation in counselling dates.

New Delhi, October 11
Adorned in traditional costume, bedecked in ornaments and sporting intricate mehendi patterns on their hands, women in the national Capital today observed Karva Chauth with festive fervour and a daylong fast praying for the long life of their husbands.

Shops and marketplaces were crowded with married women looking to buy everything from jewellery and clothing to sweetmeats and almonds and dry fruits for the occasion. On the roadsides stretched lines of women getting their hands and feet hennaed.

Women from the older generation say that despite the winds of change blowing through society, the festival has not lost its charm with the younger lot.

"Despite long working hours and tight schedules, married women of Delhi have been observing the age-old tradition of fasting for the long life of their husbands. They break the fast by taking the first morsel of food from the hands of their husbands after the sighting of the moon," said 60-year-old Shashi Sharma.

Observing her first Karva Chauth, newlywed Pallavi Singh had office in the morning but managed to leave early for home as "on this day, you have the privilege of leaving early. No one minds".

"I am excited about the entire thing. I am eagerly waiting for the moon to come up in the sky. All the women in my building are also fasting," Pallavi said, adding that her husband, too, has kept a fast.