New Delhi: The Central government had last year withdrawn its objections to the construction of the apartment building in the vicinity of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The Union urban development ministry has also approved the change of land use, which was necessary for real estate major DLF to construct the building.

Earlier, the security agencies and Rashtrapati Bhavan had expressed reservations on the Centre’s plan to approve change of land use for the over 22 acre land so close to the presidential palace.

DLF, whose subsidiary will construct the four-storied apartment building barely a kilometre away from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, has also insisted that there is no irregularity in the government’s decision.

The high court had in June 2011 told the Centre to review its stand, objecting to the change in land use after hearing out the landowners, Edward Keventer Successors Pvt Ltd, a company controlled by DLF. The court had advised on the need to strike a balance and pointed that there were other residential premises in the vicinity.

SOURCE:http://paper.hindustantimes.com/