The Delhi Government gave its approval for the regularisation of three affluent colonies — Sainik Farm, Anant Ram Dairy and Mahendru Enclave — on Thursday.
The Union Ministry of Urban Development (UDM) had sought comments from the Delhi Government for regularisation of the three colonies.
After incorporating comments of the Delhi Government, the UDM will put the proposal for regularisation before the Union Cabinet. Delhi Urban Development Minister Arvinder Singh lovely told The Pioneer: “There are 17 colonies that are considered as affluent colonies and these should be regularised. If the UDM accepts the recommendations of the expert committee headed by KK Mathur committee, these 17 colonies will be regularised. But if the Ministry rejects the recommendations, it should convey to the State Government in writing. Then the State Government will find out a way to regularise them.”
It may be noted that that the UDM had rejected the recommendations of Mathur committee, which had suggested imposing hefty regularisation charges for these colonies. The committee, which submitted its report in 2006, had recommended that pockets under these three colonies that have encroached on government land should be charged the market value of the land as regularisation fee and another 50 per cent of the market value of the land as penalty. For those pockets that have come up on private land, the committee had recommended a penalty for misuse of land at the rate of 20 per cent of the market value of the land as prevalent in similar affluent but authorised colonies in the neighbourhood.
Even if these colonies get the Union Cabinet nod for regularisation, the real challenge lies in fixing and collecting taxes and penalties for violations. The fixing of penalty amount to be levied on these colonies inhabited by political and corporate bigwigs has been a major bone of contention in the Government.
The Delhi Government had earlier submitted before the Delhi High Court that they would have no problem if the Centre decides to regularise posh colonies.