Delhi govt orders probe into alleged ₹2,000cr building approval irregularities

The Delhi government has ordered an investigation into alleged large-scale irregularities in the payment of infrastructure fund charges (IFC) linked to building approvals, after preliminary findings indicated that several properties may have secured clearances without paying the mandatory charges to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), officials said

The Delhi government has ordered an investigation into alleged large-scale irregularities in the payment of infrastructure fund charges (IFC) linked to building approvals, after preliminary findings indicated that several properties may have secured clearances without paying the mandatory charges to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), officials said.

Probe centres on approvals granted for new construction on plots measuring more than 200 square metres, where property owners are required to pay IFC to the DJB and obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) (Representative photo)

The probe centres on approvals granted for new construction on plots measuring more than 200 square metres, where property owners are required to pay IFC to the DJB and obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC). The NOC must then be submitted to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) before building plans are approved.

Officials said the investigation is expected to establish the extent of the alleged irregularities, identify properties where IFC payments remain pending, and determine whether any officials were involved in issuing approvals without valid NOCs. The findings will also be used to assess the total financial impact on the DJB and initiate further action wherever required.

According to officials, the DJB has found that in several cases, applicants obtained building plan approvals from the MCD using letters signed by DJB engineers instead of valid NOCs certifying that infrastructure charges had been deposited.

Officials alleged that these approvals were issued despite the mandatory payments not being made, pointing to possible irregularities in the approval process.

Delhi water minister Parvesh Verma said the government’s preliminary assessment suggested a substantial loss of revenue due to non-payment of the charges.

“There are many cases where the payment shown is zero, yet approvals were granted. In our initial assessment, nearly 70% of properties measuring more than 3,000 square metres appear to have received approvals without payment of the required infrastructure charges,” Verma said.

Officials said the DJB has so far mapped more than 300 properties larger than 3,000 square metres that received approvals during the past five years and is examining whether the mandatory IFC was paid in each case. Based on the preliminary findings, the government estimates that the alleged irregularities may have resulted in a revenue loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore.

To widen the investigation, the DJB has written to the MCD seeking details of all building plans approved over the past five years. Officials said these records will be matched with DJB data to determine whether the applicable infrastructure charges were deposited before approvals were granted. Verma said the exercise would not be limited to larger plots.

“We have asked the MCD to provide details of all building approvals granted over the last five years for properties measuring more than 200 square metres. We will verify whether infrastructure charges were paid in each case,” he said.

Verma said property owners found to have obtained approvals without depositing the required charges would be required to clear the outstanding dues.

“Those who have not paid the infrastructure charges will have to deposit the pending amount. If they fail to do so, the DJB has the authority to seize such properties and, if necessary, auction them to recover the outstanding dues,” he said.