The Union Urban Development Ministry has categorically directed Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to frame fresh guidelines in the wake of Union Cabinet decision to regularise all 1,939 unauthorised colonies that existed till June 1, 2014. The instruction makes it clear that expression and figures of the unauthorised colonies “as existed as per aerial survey on 2002” should be substituted with the words, expressions and figures as “existed on June 1, 2014”(clause 1.1).
The Ministry, while informing the DDA that the Cabinet on December 29 has approved amendment to the Revised Guidelines of 2007 for regularisation of unauthorised colonies, has asked the DDA to accordingly amend the guidelines. The Cabinet had decided recently to extend the cut-off date from December 31, 2002 to June 1, 2014, for the purpose of regularisation. The Cabinet had also waived 50 per cent built up area clause from the existing guidelines.
As per instructions, the words, expressions and figures “Habitations existing as on March 31, 2002 should be substituted with the words expressions and figures “Habitations existing as on June 1, 2014”. “In (clause.12(c)), the words, expressions and figures in the above mentioned colonies even after March 31, 2002 should be substituted with the words, expressions and figures in the above mentioned colonies even after June 1, 2014. In clause 4.2(d) the words, expressions and figures ‘images of relevant areas available as on March 31, 2002 should be substituted with the words, expressions and figures “images of relevant areas available as on June 1, 2014”, the instruction said.
The Ministry has also sought to clarify that no proposal for issuance of an ordinance for regularisation of unauthorised colonies was made for the approval of Union Cabinet, as the same was not required. The official said that the proposal made was to amend the Revised Guidelines of 2007, which were earlier approved by the Cabinet, for considering the unauthorised colonies that sprang up in the Capital after March 31, 2002 for regularisation.
The ‘as-is-where-is’ proposal will make it easy for the Government to regularise all colonies irrespective of whose jurisdiction they fall under. This will open one window system for regularisation. The sale and purchase of properties may also be allowed, subject to the production of required legal documents, including approved layout plan by civic bodies. A high-level meeting was held in the Ministry of law on Friday to discuss the legal issues involved in the regularisation of these colonies.
The Union Cabinet decision may well benefit the BJP in the Assembly polls as the issue of illegal colonies has been hanging fire for many years. It is estimated that around 30-35 lakh people, who reside in these unauthorised colonies, are considered as major vote bank in city politics. Then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had tried her best to push through the regularisation of these colonies but was checkmated by the UPA questioning the authority of the State Government.
