Housing bonanza for NDMC employees at council meet

In a significant push towards employee welfare and civic infrastructure enhancement, the second meeting of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) was held on Thursday under the chairmanship of council member and Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma.

Several major proposals concerning housing regularisation, healthcare allowances and civic infrastructure were unanimously approved.

A landmark decision was made to regularise Type-I and Type-II municipal quarters that had been allotted in the name of spouses or wards of former NDMC employees, even in cases where the application was delayed beyond permissible limits.

The decision applies where the spouse or ward is a current regular employee of the NDMC. As part of this one-time policy relaxation, the council also approved a complete waiver of pending dues for such cases.

“This is not just about housing regularisation, it is about honouring families who served the NDMC for years. It is our responsibility to stand by them,” said chairman Parvesh Verma.

He cited a specific case where a family had faced a Rs 24 lakh penalty that has now been waived. He further announced that the NDMC would also work to withdraw pending judicial proceedings on similar matters.

In response to recurring electricity faults, the council approved the replacement of all outdated 33 kV electric cables and interconnectors — some over 35 years old — under the Scheme-33 kV Division. The PWD Minister directed immediate action to ensure reliable power supply in the NDMC jurisdiction.

On the healthcare front, the council gave long-awaited approval for Hospital Patient Care Allowance (HPCA) and conveyance allowances for doctors and health staff serving in NDMC hospitals, dispensaries and health departments. The allowances will be granted with retrospective effect from July 1, 2017, marking a significant step in acknowledging the contributions of frontline health workers.

To boost drainage infrastructure and mitigate urban flooding risks, the council cleared a proposal to procure hydraulic high-pressure jetting-cum-grabbing-cum-rodding machines. A budget estimate of Rs 5.20 crore has been sanctioned for procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal.

Taking forward the smart water management initiative, the NDMC will now replace 15,312 additional faulty or old mechanical water meters with smart meters. This follows the ongoing replacement of 5,397 meters already under tender. The newly sanctioned Rs 13.98 crore will help complete the transition across all 20,709 water connections in the area.

Concluding the session, Minister Verma reiterated the council’s commitment to holistic development. “We are not here just to pass proposals, but to assure NDMC employees and city residents that their welfare is our top priority. Every decision we make is guided not just by development, but by respect and responsibility,” he said.

He also confirmed that the proposal to rename Delhi’s iconic Talkatora Indoor Stadium to ‘Maharishi Valmiki Stadium’ is currently awaiting clearance from the Union Home Ministry. “I have talked to the Union Home Minister. The proposal is pending with him. Whenever it gets cleared from there, we will pass that in the next NDMC council meeting,” he told reporters after the session.