Sainik Farms to be legalised

The Centre plans to regularise nearly 1,500 unauthorised colonies in the Capital soon, reports Anil Anand.

Nearly 1,500 unauthorised colonies in the Capital inlcuding Sainik Farms will soon be regularised by the Centre. The proposal had remained stuck for over a decade due to a dispute over the quantum of “developmental charges” to be levied for the regularisation.

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Replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the fallout of the ongoing sealing drive in the city on Monday, Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy said the proposal was likely to come up for cabinet approval in the next two weeks. It was finalised after Reddy and his minister of state, Ajay Maken, held discussions with Delhi MPs.

For the purpose of regularisation, these colonies are being divided into two categories - affluent and non-affluent.

The first will include high-profile areas such as Sainik Farms, Anant Ram Dairy and Mahendroo Enclave. Urban Development Ministry sources said these colonies would be regularised subject to the payment of higher developmental charges.

The non-affluent category has been further sub-divided into two groups on the basis of the nature of the land on which the colonies have been built. While the colonies built on government land will have to pay a penalty, those on private land will be exempted from it. Land for which farmers have received compensation from the government will not fall under the private category.

The sources said the case of affluent colonies would be handled by the ministry itself.

The non-affluent colonies will be under the Delhi government’s purview for the fixing of the developmental charges. The Delhi government has lately hinted that it might clear the regularisation proposal without levying any charges.

The KK Mathur Committee, constituted by the ministry to study the case of affluent colonies, is likely to submit its findings before December 31. The panel's report being still awaited, there may be a delay before the proposal regarding the affluent colonies comes up before the cabinet.