Centre passes Bill to prevent punitive action against slums

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Friday approved a bill, providing a three-year extension to a law that protects slums and some other unauthorised constructions in Delhi from punitive action till formulation of policies for their orderly arrangements.

A government official said that the introduction of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Amendment Bill, 2017, in Parliament was approved in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The passage of the bill in Parliament will extend the 2011 Act for three years from Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2020.

The Act protects slums and jhuggi-jhopri clusters from punitive action till formulation of policies for their orderly arrangements.

It provides protection in respect of encroachment or unauthorised development as on January 1, 2006.

Unauthorised colonies, village areas (including urban villages) and their extensions that existed on March 31, 2002 and where construction took place until June 1, 2014, and all other areas in Delhi as on February 8, 2007, are covered under the Act, the official said.

The extension of the Act beyond December 31, 2017, was necessitated because the norms and policy guidelines to deal with the problem of encroachment and unauthorised development are yet to be finalised by the Delhi government, the DDA, municipal corporations and other concerned bodies, he said.

"They are in the process of taking steps to conduct surveys, simplification of procedures, formulation of redevelopment plan, and finalisation of policies, and the process is likely to take some more time," he added.