Delhi govt planning to lift ban from unauthorized colonies on forest land

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Urban Development Department has decided to restart all sorts of development works in 179 unauthorized colonies that came up partly on the forest land. The Urban Development department identified particular forest plots where no activity of development will be done but the rest of unauthorized colonies come under the ambit of planned development as far as civic amenities were concerned for improving the standard of living of the residents.

According to the UD officials, 40 per cent plots have been identified by mapping department. The rest of the forest plots are being identified. Out of the 205 colonies, officials said 179 colonies came up partly on forest land while 36 settlements have encroached land belonging to the Archaeological Survey of India.

AAP legislator said that owing to forest land, all development works have been banned for past three years. Such as in Chandni Chowk, there is a forest land. In Chhattarpur Assembly constituency, there are 51 unauthorized colonies in the forest land. Similarly, Burari, Shakurpur, Matiala and Tughlaqabad colonies are under the ambit of forest land. The government has decided to regularise the colonies after getting clearance from the forest department and ASI.