Having taken cognisance of The Pioneer report about the new policy being framed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to defer the sealing of hotels, motels and farmhouses for violating MCD norms, the Supreme Court Appointed Monitoring Committee has issued direction to the all three civic bodies and the Delhi Development Authority on Tuesday asking them to seal these places immediately.
In the letter written to the commissioners of three Municipal Corporations, the Supreme Court-Monitoring Committee said, “In continuation of the previous orders dated September 28 and subsequent remainder on October 4, the committee has decided to take immediately sealing action against the Motels where shape and size are not as per sanctioned building plan and occupancy (completion) certificate. The seal shall be affixed in such motels at entry points”, it said.
It further reads that the “Monitoring Committee” has already issued instructions vide previous letter for issuance of show cause notices before conducting sealing action so it is presumed that all the Motels have already served notices by the Deputy Commissioners concerned.
It has also mentioned that as far as temporary de-sealing is concerned for holding social functions in the motels that have already been booked, the concerned owner/occupier may approach the Monitoring Committee for temporary de-sealing specifically for function period.
On October 16, The Pioneer reported about the new policy of the SDMC that has provisions to defer the sealing of hotels, motels and farmhouses till the proposed policy is in place. As per the new policy, the definition of pandals, motels and hotels have been changed to provide relief to the owners of sprawling party lawns who host opulent weddings illegally.
The new proposed policy is aimed at saving big fish as they are major source of unclaimed revenue and to mislead the “Monitoring Committee”. “Many of the farmhouses and Motels have humongous air-conditioned pandals built illegally even outside their premises”, a senior corporation official told The Pioneer pleading anonymity .
The south civic body had already served notices to 16 motels in Najafgarh Zone and 20 motels in the South Zone. Interestingly, not even a single notice served to the farmhouses comes under South Corporation.
While the north corporation claimed to have surveyed 41 properties and served notices to 26 motels and six farmhouses comes under Narela and Civil Line Zone.
Motels and party lawns in areas under SDMC are rampant and running while having “additional built-up areas, violating MCD and Green norms with impunity” and are still running without facing any action.
As there are many such venues across the city, they are operating in areas at Qutub Minar, MG Road, Arjangarh, Bhati mines, Chattarpur Road and GT Karnal Road.
