Setting the process to regularise 1939 unauthorised colonies in motion, Urban Development Ministry has directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to carry out necessary modifications in the relevant clauses for regularisation of unauthorised colonies urgently.
The Union Cabinet decision to extend the cut-off date till June 1, 2014 has raised eyebrows in the political circle as the colonies would not be regularised just extending the cut-off date of these colony. According to experts, the Government would have to withdraw all the existing guidelines of regulation regarding unauthorised colonies for its regularisation.
The Ministry while informing the DDA that the Cabinet in its meeting held on December 29 has approved to amend the Revised Guidelines of 2007 in the matter of regularisation of colonies in Delhi, has asked DDA to accordingly amend relevant clauses in the said guidelines. The Cabinet had decided on Monday to extend the cut-off date with reference to the existence of unauthorised colonies in Delhi from December 31, 2002, as mentioned in the Revised Guidelines of 2007 to June 1, 2014, and waived the requirement of 50 per cent built up in the unauthorised colony, for the purpose of regularisation. The Cabinet has made it clear that basic principles will not be altered.
Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh lovely told The Pioneer that the BJP Government at Centre has tried to protect the property mafia and given regal tag to over 350 colonies that come up after the cut-off date March 2008. “The colonies are going to regularise with the Union Cabinet decision in this regard. They have just befooled the people of unauthorised colonies,” he said.
The Ministry seeks 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 the proposal made was to amend the Revised Guidelines of 2007, which were earlier approved by the Cabinet, for considering the unauthorised colonies that have come into existence further to March 31, 2002 for regularisation.
The way the BJP Government has taken decision to regularize these colonies is going to be major poll issue in the upcoming Assembly elections. Both the Congress and the AAP will try to expose the BJP on the issue unauthorised colonies. This is also being seen as BJP’s way to counter Aam Aadmi Party’s influence among the low-income voters in unauthorised colonies.