MillenniumPost
Delhi

1,018 colonies to be regularised

With the Assembly elections slated for next year, the government is leaving no stone unturned to appease the voters. Delhi Cabinet on Thursday approved the recommendations of the Group of Ministers (GoM) regarding the issues relating to unauthorised colonies, urbanised villages, resettlement colonies and private katras.

According to the cabinet 1,018 colonies in Delhi fulfill the eligibility criteria for regularisation.

The decisions were taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. The ministers, headed by PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, and included Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and Labour Minister Ramakant Goswami, took the decisions which would go a long way in overcoming obstacles in the development of unauthorised colonies.

NOCs have been granted by all the departments concerned to these 1,018 colonies and the agencies to take up the developmental works include roads, drains, water supply, street lighting and other such basic civic amenities.

Sources revealed that the development works may also be undertaken on the colonies located on government land.

The cabinet also gave its approval to undertake developmental works in the remaining 200 unauthorised colonies on receipt of clearance from various departments concerned such as Forest and Archeological Survey of India.

Meanwhile, to simplify regularisation process and also to benefit maximum number of residents living in unauthorised colonies, it was decided by the cabinet that the aerial map of 2007 would form the basis for fixation of boundaries.

A government source said, 'The Cabinet directed the Urban Development Department (UDD) to get maps prepared as per aerial photographs of 2007 in respect of unauthorised colonies within two months time.'

The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Department of Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) have been involved in the developmental works of these areas.

The cabinet also decided to release special funds for undertaking large scale development works in urban villages under a separate scheme to be administered by the UDD.

Interestingly, Congress has won three consecutive elections under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit with voters of unauthorised colonies playing a major role in two of them. However, these voters are feeling cheated these days and it was said that, this had led to the defeat of Congress in the recent Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

The cabinet had also decided to recommend to Government of India to grant of ownership rights to original allottees, who are still occupying the houses and flats in resettlement colonies.

A committee has constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary to finalise a policy to ensure grant of ownership status to residents of about 45 resettlement colonies.

Around three lakh people reside in 4,300 unauthorised colonies in the capital, who are regarded as loyal Congress supporters.

Earlier, government had initiated the regularisation process of 1,600 unauthorised colonies. But despite long wait, absence of any response by the government in this regard is leading to resentment among the voters.


A CONCERTED EFFORT

DSIIDC has completed civil works in 375, MCD in 20, and I&FC in 26 in unauthorised colonies, whereas these three agencies are yet to complete civil works in 327 colonies. The Delhi Jal Board would supply water in 1,005 colonies. The water lines have been laid in 783 colonies and water supply has already started in 700 colonies. The sewage are laid in 98 colonies. 930 unauthorised colonies have been provided street lighting.

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