Sheila Dikshit asks Delhiites to contribute to capital's development

As the capital prepares for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, chief minister Sheila Dikshit today asked residents to contribute to its development and upkeep as the government had its limitations.

Speaking at a function after inaugurating a lane named after industrialist KK Birla, she said in the run up to the Games the capital was being decked up, but some glitches still remain.

"Our roads are still not yet wide enough for our ever-growing traffic and there are other issues. In a city that is expanding every minute, the government has its limitations.

"People should, therefore, also contribute to making it a world-class city ahead of the Commonwealth Games," she said.

Dikshit said Delhi is today one of the greenest cities of the world, and its green cover is being expanded.

"The green cover today is not limited to the Lutyens zone but has extended to the North and the West as well," she said.

The government has set itself a target of extending Delhi's green cover to 30% by 2011.

"We are making efforts to make the city, not only a traffic-friendly city but also a pedestrian-friendly city. The roads are being constructed keeping the necessities in mind," the chief minister said.

She was responding to a question raised by former West Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi, who said urban cities like Delhi were increasingly becoming un-friendly to pedestrians.

Minister of state for home Ajay Maken said KK Birla was an entrepreneur who always considered his corporate social responsibility.

"He worked at a time when the government did not demand much from industrialists and when CSR was not a very fashionable term, but he was always committed to the society," Maken said.

However, the move to name the lane, that falls near the Max Mueller Marg, and houses the Council for Social Development (CSD) headquarters building has not gone down well with everyone.

A group of people held a protest at the lane, demonstrating its naming after the industrialist.

The protesters demanded that the street be named after freedom fighter and social worker Durgabai Deshmukh, who had founded the CSD.

The street houses important centres and offices like the UNICEF, UNDP, India International Centre Annexe, INTACH, among others.

When asked about the protest, Maken said, he was not aware of the details but added that "there was no better person to name the street than Birla".