MCD split endorsed by Sonia Gandhi, says DPCC chief

Proposal for trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi was endorsed by party chief Sonia Gandhi and it will result in better delivery of civic services to the citizens, Delhi Congress said, here on Wednesday.

"The proposal had the approval of our leader Sonia Gandhi. We are thankful to the government for approving the proposal. The Congress party wanted the split to ensure better delivery of services to the citizens," DPCC president J P Aggarwal, who was not in favour of the proposal earlier, said.

Ending a five-month suspense, the Home Ministry cleared the trifurcation of the MCD which was vociferously pursued by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

"It is a very good decision. It is a historic decision. The MCD was set up in 50s when population of Delhi was around 30 lakh. Now the population has crossed 1.60 crore. The splitting will help better delivery of services," Aggarwal said.

As per the proposal, the new civic bodies in North and South Delhi will have 104 wards each while the civic body in East Delhi will have 64 wards and a directorate of municipal services would be set up to coordinate functioning of the three new bodies.

Dikshit had to face opposition from within Congress for the proposal with several leaders even going to Gandhi to complain against the move.

However, after much deliberation within the party and discussions with senior AICC leaders, it was decided the MCD would be split into three parts and the number of wards would be kept at 272 against the original proposal to increase it to beyond 400.