CM hails Centre’s decision to regularise unauthorised colonies

Thanking the Centre for the decision to regularise 1,151 unauthorised colonies in the capital, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday termed it a transformative step, adding the decision would bring hope, dignity and long-awaited security to lakhs of families who have lived for years in uncertainty.

The Delhi Cabinet, chaired by the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, also unanimously passed a resolution expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union leadership, including the Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal.

Rekha Gupta said the decision goes beyond legal validation, offering residents a pathway to self-respect, stability and development. She underlined that both the Centre and the Delhi Government will now work together to take concrete steps towards the comprehensive and planned development of these colonies, ensuring better infrastructure and improved living standards.

She added that the Delhi Government has been sensitive to the concerns of residents in these areas. A lack of basic amenities has long caused hardship, and to address this, Rs 800 crore has been earmarked in the 2026-27 budget to strengthen infrastructure. The Centre’s decision, she said, has now paved the way for faster development and a tangible improvement in the quality of life of residents.

Under the plan, 1,511 of Delhi’s 1,731 unauthorised colonies will be regularised on an ‘As-is, Where-is’ basis. No approval of layout plans will be required, and all plots and buildings will be treated as residential. Around 4.5 million people are expected to benefit. The entire regularisation process will now be handled by the Delhi Government’s Revenue Department instead of the Delhi Development Authority.

A clear timeline has been laid down for the process from application to the issuance of conveyance deeds.

This includes seven days for GIS survey reports, 15 days for deficiency resolution memos, and a mandatory 45-day deadline for issuing conveyance deeds. The PM-UDAY register will be regularly maintained, and regularisation certificates will be issued by the MCD.

Applications under the scheme will open from April 24, 2026, through the Swagam portal. Highlighting the broader context, the Chief Minister said Delhi’s population has nearly doubled over the past two decades — from around 1.5 crore to nearly 3 crore. The city today has thousands of unauthorised colonies, around 675 slum clusters and more than 350 villages, many of which have seen unplanned and unregulated growth over the years.

She said previous governments failed to adequately address the issue, making relocation impractical. The latest decision, she stressed, marks the first significant step towards structured and planned urban development.

She added that her government is continuously working with the Centre to deliver systematic and well-planned development for Delhi.

Rekha Gupta also emphasised that unauthorised colonies are an integral part of Delhi’s urban fabric, and any vision for the Capital’s development would remain incomplete without them. The government aims to integrate these colonies into the mainstream of urban development.

However, challenges remain — narrow lanes, houses with limited access points, and high population density make emergency response, especially during fires, extremely difficult.

Keeping this in mind, the government is also working to further strengthen fire services infrastructure to ensure residents’ safety. She said the government is approaching the issue not only from a development perspective, but also from the standpoint of safety and urban planning.

Decisions Taken by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

• 1511 unauthorised colonies (out of 1731 UCs), which do not fall under exclusion criteria, will be regularised on an “as-is, where-is” basis without requiring approved layout plans.
• Land use of all plots and buildings in these colonies will be treated as residential.
• Convenience shops up to 20 sq. metres will be regularised if they have access to a right of way of 6 metres. For shops up to 10 sq. metres, the required right of way may be less than 6 metres.
• Regularisation will apply to existing built-up structures on an “as-is where-is” basis.
• Absence of approved layout plans will not be a barrier to regularisation.
• MCD/local bodies will issue Certificates of Regularisation, conduct surveys of vacant plots, and facilitate the development of civic infrastructure.
• The Revenue Department, GNCTD, will issue Conveyance Deeds / Authorisation Slips to eligible residents.