They had come to Delhi all the way from Pakistan at the time of Partition and they found shelter in the refugee colonies in the city. Over six decades down the line, these colonies developed into some of the posh residential addresses but their inhabitants remained deprived of ownership rights as they were restricted from modifying their houses despite their growing needs. But as they craved for a major relief, the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporations in Delhi have allowed sanctioning of building plans in 46 refugee colonies paving the way for vertical growth in these areas. As the land and Development Office (l&DO) has initiated the process to freehold these flats, the owners will now be able to raise five-storeyed structures in these colonies, which was till now limited to two floors. Some of these colonies include Jangpura, Malviya Nagar, Moti Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Ramesh Nagar, Model Town, Timarpur, Raghubir Nagar and Ashok Nagar, among others.
leader of House in South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Subhash Arya said the decision would benefit over a lakh of people living in over 15,000 flats in refugee colonies. With the change in policy, the occupants of these flats would only be required to get the building plans sanctioned in accordance with the building bylaws for increasing the height of their buildings. “As per the existing rules, stilt parking on the ground floor is mandatory. Thereafter, the building owners will have the liberty to construct four additional floors,” Arya said. He said these colonies have been in existence since Independence and the l&DO had allotted flats on lease in these refugee colonies after during the year 1955 to 1965.
What would make things more convenient for the owners, two different families occupying the first floor and the second floor will also be able to carry out the construction with mutual understanding and after depositing necessary fee for sanctioning of the building plan. Having brought the policy into effect, the South Delhi Corporation has also sanctioned the building plan for the property no. 5/28 in Vikram Vihar, the first building to be made freehold and sanctioned to be reconstructed in a refugee colony.
“l&DO has started the procedure to freehold these flats. There were regular demands from citizens to sanction building plans in these colonies. The three Corporations had collectively taken up this issue with Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and with his approval we are implementing this policy,” Arya said, adding a majority of these colonies fall within the jurisdiction of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the move would enable them to construct their houses legally without any hurdle.
Arya said a resolution in this regard was placed before the before Standing Committee of South Delhi Municipal Corporation on June 6 this year for necessary approval. “After Independence the l&DO had allotted these flats, built on 107 to 120 yard plots, on lease in these refugee colonies. If ground and the first floor of a particular flat belong to one family, they can carry out the construction work after taking approval from the Municipal Corporation. But if different families occupy the two floors, they can chart a plan mutually and get it passed. Sanction of building plans has to be according to the terms and conditions of residential plot of MPD 2021,” officials said.