New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming civic polls here in April, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday announced a slew of changes to Delhi's land pooling policy, which has so far received only a lukewarm response from landowners. One of the key changes is the proposal to make land pooling mandatory for areas left out in sectors where 70 per cent land has been pooled.
With not enough participation, the Delhi Development Authority has had to open its window for landowners to show their interest five times since it was first launched and so far, officials have said that overall an average of 36 per cent of areas have shown willingness for land pooling with the maximum in north and north-west zones.
Officials on Tuesday said that in six sectors, they have achieved 70 per cent land pooling — but none of them are contiguous — a requirement as per regulation. "In these sectors, pockets of land have been pooled but no contiguity is there. As a result, planning for better sewer lines, water lines and roads is a difficulty," one official said.
He added that Union Minister Puri had now approved a proposal for the law to be changed in such a way that in sectors where 70 per cent of land has been pooled, land pooling for the remaining 30 per cent will be made mandatory.
While the legislative process to bring this change will take time, the Urban Affairs Minister has approved a proposal to issue conditional Notices for the Formation of Consortium so that as the legislative process is completed, other paperwork can be done in tandem.
In addition to these, the DDA said it had also addressed concerns of farmers about double stamp duty being charged and mutation being stopped. Officials said that a provision has been brought to ensure mutation is ongoing till the point new layout plans of the area are finalised.
Unauthorised colonies: Significantly, Puri, flanked by Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and Assembly LoP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, also announced that the development control norms for regularisation of unauthorised colonies had been eased considerably.
Officials said that several thousands were unable to regularise their homes because of a clause requiring will documents. This has now been dropped and as long as residents have general power of attorney, agreement to sell, payment proof, possession proof, it is enough for regularisation.
In addition, the DDA said that many were unable to get their entire property regularised and were only getting documents for the built-up area. This also has been addressed, officials said, adding that another key change has been adopted to allow the regularisation of parts of unauthorised colonies one at a time - without requiring the layout plan of an entire colony to be approved by local authorities.
And yet another key change has been to introduce a unique redevelopment incentive to colonies that are unable to meet the fire norms requirement of all houses being within 30 metres of a 6m-wide road. "The colonies that do not meet this can redevelop and for this an incentive of extra Floor Area Ratio will be provided - on which facilities like schools, dispensary, hospitals can be set up."
Moreover, the DDA said that its in-situ slum rehabilitation projects are on time with the Kalkaji flats ready for possession by month-end for residents of Bhoomiheen Camp. Jailorwala Bagh's 1,200 flats will be ready by May and the ones at Kathputli Colony are expected to be finished by year-end.
Further, officials said that a multi-agency coordinated master plan had been created to address nearly perennial water-logging in over 100 colonies of Kirari and that tenders for work on this had already been issued.