Delhi: Godown owners in agri lands want DDA to relax rules

Godowns were initially banned in non-conforming areas but with many such facilities mushrooming across villages, the DDA amended MPD-2021 in June 2018 to regularise all existing godowns in such areas in order to protect them from sealing

Despite an amendment in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD)-2021 three years ago to regularise godowns in non-conforming areas, its owners are struggling to get their properties legalised and have demanded further relaxation in the norms set by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 to protect existing structures from sealing.

In the Capital, godowns are located in north Delhi’s Alipur and Narela, Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, and Chhatarpur in south Delhi, among other areas. (Representative photo/HT)

According to the amended MPD-2021 norms, a 30m RoW -- the minimum width of the road leading to the property -- is mandatory for regularisation but traders claim that most godowns in non-conforming areas (agricultural land and villages) have a road width of only around 10-15m.

Sumit Agarwal, general secretary, Marble Dealers Association South Delhi, who has a godown in Chattarpur, said, “There is a need to reduce the RoW requirement to 15m or less to make regularisation of godowns possible.”

Godowns were initially banned in non-conforming areas but with many such facilities mushrooming across villages, especially in north Delhi, over the years, the DDA amended MPD-2021 in June 2018 to regularise all existing godowns in such areas in order to protect them from sealing. The amendment however makes it clear that no new godowns are allowed in non-conforming areas. The deadline for regularisation, which was supposed to end in December, has now been extended to December 31, 2023.

In the Capital, godowns are located in north Delhi’s Alipur and Narela, Najafgarh in southwest Delhi, and Chhatarpur in south Delhi, among other areas.

Naresh Gupta, president of Delhi Grain Merchants’ Association, said, “For the past three years, the policy is just on paper. No effort has been made by government agencies to expedite the implementation of the policy. We have godowns in 10-12 villages near GT Karnal road, but plans of not a single godown have been passed by the civic agency.”

A senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation official, who is aware of the issue, said, “There are around 7,000 godowns in our jurisdiction. But we have not been able to regularise any so far due to the stringent norms. The right of way, parking and other clauses on the norms are difficult to meet, as these godowns have come up haphazardly. There is a need to relax the norms.”

Similarly, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has not been able to process many applications. “We have got very few applications as, in most cases, they are unable to meet the criteria. We have regularised only one godown so far,” said an official, requesting anonymity.

The official said that the North corporation has submitted its recommendation to the DDA regarding the need to relax development control norms for regularisation of godowns in non-conforming areas.

A senior DDA official said, “We are examining the recommendations submitted by the North corporation. As of now no decision has been taken.”

Meanwhile, the traders have also raised other demands, including allowing new godowns in non-conforming areas and urbanised villages, and reduction in external development charges (which traders will have to pay for developing the area).

Agarwal further said that there is a need to clarify that sale and purchase of marble is permitted in godowns. “Marble traders, especially in Chhatarpur, are having difficulty in getting their properties de-sealed (which were shut for alleged misuse during the 2017 sealing drive in non-conforming areas). We want the DDA to clarify in the norms that sale and dispatch of marble be considered as permissible and valid under the godown policy,” said Agarwal, who is also the national secretary of Confederation of All India Traders.

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