The Delhi Government is planning to take over plots of 1,000 sq yards or above that are lying unused or vacant in unauthorised colonies. It will develop them for public utility services and prevent land sharks from gobbling them up.
Delhi Urban Development Minister Arvinder Singh lovely told The Pioneer that the three civic bodies have been directed to scour 895 unauthorised colonies notified in September 2012.
According to lovely, there is no vacant land or plots left for public utilities in over 700 colonies, while land is available in colonies of south Delhi, south-west and north-west areas. The Minister further stated that civic bodies will have to identify if there is any vacant land left, while preparing and finalising layout for these colonies.
Facilities may include community and recreation centres, schools, dispensaries and public distribution shops. The Government may open sub-offices of its department which directly deals with people and their grievances.
Sources in the Government said the land mafia is eyeing vacant plots or land in unauthorised colonies after regularisation. Currently, there are no records available for them with the likes of Delhi Development Authority (DDA), land and building department, urban development, civic bodies or revenue department.
Sources said Deputy Commissioners have reportedly opposed the urban development department directive for walk-through surveys, saying it is not the revenue department’s duty and should be assigned to civic bodies only. There is quite some resentment among revenue officials on this issue.
Regularisation of colonies has become a bit of a headache for the Government before the Assembly polls this year. Neither has registry opened, nor is the layout being approved. The issue has also become a bone of contention between the departments of revenue and urban development.