‘Centre, Delhi govt should decide over Sainik Farm regularisation’

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said the Centre and the Delhi government should iron out the issue of regularisation of Sainik Farm colony in south Delhi and asked the authorities to sit together. Observing neither was there a demolition action nor legalisation of the colony, a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela sought the assistance of the additional solicitor general and the Delhi government standing counsel.

“Matter is oscillating between the Centre and the state. We can’t permit this to go on and on. You have to take a policy decision. We are not saying what to do. Either regularise or don’t.... (but) You are just dragging. Hume na karna pade, court kar de (let’s not do it, let court do it).. All of you sit together and find a solution, that is what we propose,” the bench said. It is hearing pleas, including one filed in 2015, on the colony’s regularisation.

“What we prima facie find is that the concern raised in the writ petitions needs to be addressed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development of government of India, government of NCT of Delhi and the MCD,” the court said.

The court posted the hearing on April 16 and asked the respective lawyers to seek instructions on the matter.

The court previously asked the Centre to take a decision on the issue of regularisation of the colony. The Centre’s counsel on Wednesday said the status quo, in relation to the colony, should continue as it was an “affluent” neighbourhood and neither repairs nor demolition could be permitted there.

The court refused repairs without sanction, citing illegal construction, and urged authorities to decide

on regularisation.

It noted affluent colonies like Sainik Farm were excluded from legalisation. The Centre prioritised redeveloping 1,797 unauthorised colonies. The court stressed resolving Sainik Farm’s status promptly.