Vibha SharmaNew Delhi: Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in its biggest recruitment drive, inducted over 1,600 permanent employees across 26 posts on Thursday to strengthen the management of its vast land holdings, green spaces and properties across the capital.The authority organised a Niyukti Samaroh at the Yamuna Sports Complex, where appointment letters were handed over to selected candidates by lieutenant governor TS Sandhu in the presence of DDA vice-chairman N Saravana Kumar, among others.Officials said the authority had been grappling with acute manpower shortage in several crucial departments, including horticulture, engineering, land records and security.The recruitment of 1,647 officers and staff is expected to significantly boost DDA’s operational capacity.Addressing the appointees, the LG said: “You are not only joining a public organisation but also becoming custodians of a long-term vision for the development and future of the national capital, Delhi. The national capital holds a unique position where expectations from the governance system are both high and diverse. The transparent recruitment process ensures that only those with the highest calibre of discipline and sincerity will lead the charge.”The largescale recruitment spans technical, administrative, engineering, planning, horticulture, ministerial and support service cadres across multiple levels — from Group A officers to field and support staff.Major appointments include 745 multi-tasking staff, 278 malis, 147 junior secretariat assistants, 104 junior engineers (civil), 79 patwaris, 75 sectional officers (horticulture), 65 junior engineers (electrical/mechanical), 39 stenographers, 23 planning assistants and 15 assistant directors (ministerial). The recruitment also includes deputy directors, assistant executive engineers, legal assistants, architectural assistants, programmers, naib tehsildars, junior translators and assistant security officers.With DDA’s existing workforce standing at 3,000, the new appointments mark an increase of nearly 55% in manpower.Officials said the authority earlier had only one tehsildar overseeing land records, including vacant plots, while there were no assistant security officers and just 41 patwaris to assist in maintaining records and coordinating with departments. The authority has 79 patwaris and six naib tehsildars enrolled now for better protection of green areas in addition to six assistant security officers.The horticulture department, which had been heavily dependent on private concessionaires for maintenance work, is also expected to benefit. The induction of 278 malis and 745 multi-tasking staff is likely to improve upkeep of parks and green spaces while reducing reliance on outsourced agencies.According to data available on DDA’s website, the authority manages approximately 67,354.9 acres of land, of which over 59,500 acres have been developed for residential, industrial and recreational purposes. Nearly 12,480 acres have been designated as green areas, including four regional parks, 25 city forests, 111 district parks, 225 neighbourhood parks and 15 sports complexes.“To manage such vast land holdings, maintain records and identify encroachments, adequate manpower is essential,” officials said.The fresh appointments come as DDA expands its focus on housing projects, heritage restoration, green space development and the growth of sub-cities such as Narela, Dwarka and Rohini.
