Ahead of Assembly and lok Sabha elections, both Centre and Delhi Government have joined hands to expedite the regularisation of three affluent unauthorised colonies —Sainik Farm, Mahendru Enclave and Anant Ram Dairy.
Inching closer to the regularisation process of affluent colonies, the Ministry of Urban Development (UDM) has fixed provisions for recovery of prevailing cost of agricultural land and penalty for variable plot size in Sainik Farm, Mahendru Enclave and Anant Ram Dairy.
Following the comments from Ministry of law, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Delhi Government, the UDM has put up a proposal before the Cabinet Secretariat and Prime Minister's Office for final approval of regularisation of three affluent colonies pending for decades.
It is noted that the Delhi Government had suggested that such affluent unauthorised colonies also be regularised, but with higher penalties.
The draft note states that Sainik Farm is reportedly on 723 acres of public land of which possession of 256 acres had been handed over after acquisition and 518 acres was in the process of acquisition or already acquired by the Delhi Government. Sainik Farm had started as a resettlement scheme for retired Defence personnel and war widows in late 1960s.
Mahendru Enclave is reportedly located on 37.84 acres of which 13.90 acres is public land and 23.94 acres is private land while Anand Ram Dairy is located on 3.5 acres of Government land and it has around 152 plots varying in size from 25 sqm to 500 sqm.
As per the draft note, these unauthorised colonies would be regularised as per the terms and conditions. The criteria and the procedure for regularisation, the cut off date was laid down in the revised guidelines in 2007 and was notified by DDA in 2008 with certain modifications.
After the Cabinet approval, the Delhi Government will conduct a comprehensive survey to determine the extent and boundary of three affluent colonies and determine the exact extent of public and private land encroached by these colonies.
A top Delhi Government official said on the condition of anonymity that the latest development is a good sign and that sanction of three affluent colonies is expected to be completed in a month time.
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.
DRAFT NOTE
According to draft note, plot having 100 square metres will have to pay prevailing cost of acquisition of agricultural land which is Rs 575 per square metre along with 10 per cent penalty. This means, a plot of 100 square metres will have to pay Rs 650 per square metre as penalty charge for regularisation in affluent colonies. Those having plot size between 100 and 250 sqm, will have to pay 25 penalty along with Rs 575 per sqm, which cost of acquisition of agricultural land while the plot size having more than 250 sqm, will have to pay 50 per cent penalty. The cost of land will be collected by the concerned local body/DDA on behalf of land owning department.