For the last three years, several letters have been exchanged between the builder and Ghaziabad administration on the matter, but that's all that has happened really.
In the month of August, Crossings Republik witnessed three fire-related incidents, adding teeth to the residents’ longstanding demand for a fire station. But have things moved? The answer is a categorical ‘No’. Have letters been exchanged on the matter? The answer: ‘Yes, like always.’
Sub-District Magistrate (SDM), Vivek Mishra, shot a letter to Crossings Infra Private Limited (CIPL), the builder of Crossings Republik, asking why wasn’t there provision for a fire station even after having one in their detail project report.
In response, CIPL cited incomplete land acquisition from the GDA as a reason for not having constructed a fire station till now. Maintenance manager Ishwar Tyagi told City Spidey, “GDA is yet to provide 25 per cent of the land.”
Chief Architect Town Planner (GDA) Ishtiaq Ahmad agreed, but blamed CIPL for not completing the payments. “CIPL didn’t pay... so how can we give them the land,” he shot back.
But all that is being said has already been said, claim residents.
Reacting with frustration, Pooja Shrivastava, a resident, asked, “The letter asks nothing new! For the last three years, the authorities and the builder are merely exchanging letters. The residents already know the background, but what’s the way ahead?”
She continued, “What we have here is lack of intent rather than paucity of space. We can see many illegal constructions that weren’t mentioned in the DPR. Builder has both resources and land for illegal construction, but not a fire station.”
Alok Kumar, FedAOA president, agreed.
He said, “While purchasing flats residents were promised a fire station within the township. Details on whose land the fire station would eventually come up were not made known to the buyers.”
Countering the builder’s excuse, he further added, “Do we really need such a large golf course when the basic amenity of a fire station is absent from the township?”
For the last three years, residents have been fiercely demanding a fire station in the area.
Last month, district magistrate of Ghaziabad, Ritu Maheshwari, had approved the request for the construction of a fire station in Crossings Republik after the SDM inspected the township and found land belonging to Nagar Nigam suitable for the purpose.
However, the corporation commissioner objected to the proposition, citing paucity of land as a reason. He also said it’s the builder’s responsibility to provide land for such facilities.
For now, the administration seems to be merely passing the buck. But where will it finally stop, ask hapless residents?
