The authorisation process of 1,731 colonies in Delhi will be done online and through satellite imagery. The registration process will start from December 16. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has asked the Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) of the unauthorised colonies to upload their boundary map on a newly launched portal which ‘defines and delineates’ the boundaries of unauthorised colonies via satellite imagery. If the map is matched with the satellite images, the process of granting ownership rights will take place. Subsequently, people will have to upload their documents like general power of attorney, payment receipt and some documents for registration of properties on another portal.

According to Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, RWAs will have to look at the boundaries delineated using satellite imagery and convey their suggestions and objections within 15 days”.  The Minister said that another website will be launched for residents to apply for ownership rights starting December 16 and the applicants will get the ownership certificate within 180 days from the date of application. Puri claimed “What the Delhi Government couldn’t do in 11 years, we have done that in just three months”. Presently, boundary maps of 40 colonies have been uploaded on the portal and 500 maps will be uploaded in the next few days.

 The Union Cabinet had on Wednesday approved ‘the “National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019”, which provides a legal framework to grant ownership rights to the people living in unauthorised colonies in the city, a move that will benefit 40 to 50 lakh people. The bill to recognize GPA, Will, Agreement to Sell, Purchase and Possession documents, in the light of Suraj Lamp Case Judgment, as a special one-time relaxation for this purpose for the residents of UCs in Delhi. The bill also proposes to provide for registration charge and stamp duty to be levied on the value mentioned in Conveyance Deed or Authorisation Slip and for its applicability on last transaction only. The ownership of the properties in unauthorised colonies have been transferred several times through registered or un-registered or notarised Power of Attorney, Agreement to Sale, Will, Possession and Payment letters. Further, the stamp duty on these multiple transactions, have neither been assessed nor paid.

The decision is politically significant as it will benefit millions of poor migrants who hold key to the assembly election due early next year and had backed the Aam Aadmi Party in large numbers in the 2015 Delhi polls. 

The Ministry had already came out with the ownership rights charges for Delhi’s 1,797 unauthorised colonies that will be regularised. The costing, based on two types of land - gram sabha and private land - entails a minimum of Rs 14.55 per sq mtr to a maximum of Rs 4837.50 per sq mtr. The rates have been fixed for three types of carpet areas— plots up to/equal to 100 sqm, more than 100 sqm to 250 sqm and more than 250 sqm. It means one has to pay a minimum of Rs  1,455 and a maximum of Rs  12.09 lakh

Accusing the Arvind Kejriwal Government of delaying the process of delineation of unauthorised colonies on various pretexts, Puri said, “Obstructionist and irresponsible attitude of the Delhi Government is evident on every issue pertaining to the welfare of the people.

Elaborating the process for registration of properties, Delhi Development Authority DDA) Vice Chairman Tarun Kapoor said that the applicants will have to register and upload the required documents — general power of attorney, payment receipt, possession letter, etc -- on the website.

“Thereafter, a team of DDA will visit the spot for verification. The officials will help the applicants remove deficiencies, in case there are any,” he said.

Kapoor said DDA will start operating helpline centres at its local offices from December 1 to make the process smooth. In a bid to remove legal hurdles in granting ownership in unauthorised colonies, the lieutenant governor has already declared 79 villages as ‘urban areas’. Ongoing cases pertaining to change of land use will also be withdrawn soon. A notification to this effect has already been issued.