The standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Wednesday approved several long-pending infrastructure proposals, including a multilevel parking project, a new waste processing facility at Ghazipur, upgrades to roads and streetlights in south and west Delhi, and sanitation improvements, marking a significant policy push after a prolonged delay.
These approvals follow more than two and a half years of deadlock caused by political and legal disputes over the formation of the standing committee.
In only its second meeting since reconstitution, the panel reviewed over 130 policy proposals and layout plan changes, clearing 23 resolutions.
Parking, Lighting, Roads
A senior MCD official confirmed the committee approved an automated multi-level puzzle parking facility at Bharat Darshan Park in Punjabi Bagh, which will accommodate 188 vehicles. This facility aims to ease congestion at the busy west Delhi junction near a popular tourist attraction.
The panel also approved a comprehensive project for the operation and maintenance of streetlight infrastructure across the south, central, west, and Najafgarh zones, upgrading the existing LED network in areas formerly under South MCD jurisdiction.
Committee Chairperson Satya Sharma announced approval of the "One Road-One Day" initiative to further improve road conditions.
Waste Management
The committee cleared a long-stalled proposal to establish an ingesta and dung drying processing plant at the Ghazipur slaughterhouse, Delhi’s only licensed slaughter facility. This project had been repeatedly flagged by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which mandated scientific disposal of slaughter waste.
Operations at Ghazipur were suspended in May 2022 after the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) withdrew consent due to environmental violations, but were later resumed under strict conditions. The absence of a functioning standing committee had delayed the waste processing unit’s establishment.
Additionally, the panel approved the purchase of 17 backhoe loaders for sanitation in South Delhi and the deployment of 24 mechanical road sweepers to combat dust pollution on arterial roads.
Meat Shop Regulations
Responding to concerns about community dog issues, the committee resolved to formulate a comprehensive community dog policy and establish a dedicated committee.
In response to complaints about illegal meat shops near schools and religious institutions, Sharma confirmed that clear instructions have been issued to close all meat shops operating within 100 metres of such locations.
The panel also passed a proposal to strengthen garbage collection and sanitation operations in the Central zone.
Layout Plans and Health
Of 70 layout plan proposals presented, only one—a new DTC bus depot in Hari Nagar—was approved. All private layout modifications were deferred again.
Projects with financial implications above Rs 50 million and layout changes require standing committee approval.
The three-and-a-half-hour meeting included a question on water quality and waterborne diseases raised by deputy chair Sunder Singh. The public health department reported testing 2,255 water samples in 2024-25, with 409 deemed poor quality. Of 870 random samples this year, 174 failed quality checks.
Testing is conducted jointly with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), which is notified when samples fail. Chlorination and oral rehydration salt (ORS) camps are organised, but no legal action or penalties have been issued against DJB. Sharma urged invoking penal provisions to ensure accountability.
Community Dog Policy
Satya Sharma said the MCD will form a committee within two to three weeks to draft a new community dog policy. The issue was highlighted by councillor Rajpal Singh, who noted the shortage of shelters in the city—only 20 are operational.
Singh explained that when dogs bite someone, animals are often relocated to villages, which does not resolve the problem. Despite Rs 12 million spent on dog management, he said ground-level action has been insufficient. He recommended each municipal zone have a shelter and a committee identify potential sites.
Sharma confirmed that the committee will review shelter infrastructure, housing protocols, and euthanasia rules, inspecting all 20 operational centres run by NGOs before finalising recommendations.
Animal welfare groups caution against expanding shelter capacity. Ambika Shukla, trustee of People for Animals, said housing healthy dogs in shelters is impractical and costly, raising disease risks. She advocated strict adherence to Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, which mandate sterilisation, vaccination, and returning dogs to their original location, calling for more ABC centres with better oversight.
Opposition Concerns
Opposition members from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) raised issues including severe waterlogging, deteriorating MCD school infrastructure, shortages of guards and nursery teachers, and vacancies in supervisory health department roles.
