DTCP forms teams to inspect violations in DLF Phases 1–5

Five field teams will verify replies and on-ground status of over 4,000 houses after High Court directions, with reports due before next hearing.

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has constituted five teams to verify violations in more than 4,000 houses across DLF phases one to five, as part of enforcement action initiated following directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, officials said.

Inspections will cover excess construction and illegal commercial use, while owners have time till January 16 to submit replies. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The enforcement wing of the department has already issued notices to property owners for violations and has now begun ground inspections to verify the factual position. The last date for property owners to submit replies to the notices is January 16, while the next date of court hearing is January 40. The teams will submit their findings to the department, and any enforcement action will be initiated only after the Punjab and Haryana High Court issues further directions at the next hearing scheduled for January 30.

According to DTCP officials, Renuka Singh, senior town planner, Gurugram, constituted the five teams in compliance with the High Court’s directions. The teams have been formed based on recommendations of district town planner (enforcement) Amit Madholia and will examine properties where notices were issued for violations such as excess construction, construction without permission and running illegal commercial establishments.

“These five teams will look into the current status of properties to whom notices have been issued and check the replies they have submitted. The teams will verify on the ground regarding replies submitted by owners, whether owners have carried out restoration, made any corrective amendments in their buildings and if there are any other violations on the ground. Each team will inspect one phase and submit a detailed report. The department will give a hearing to the property owners on January 19,” said Madholia.

Last week, the DTCP issued fresh notices to 383 property owners in DLF phases one to five for building plan violations. Prior to these, notices had already been issued to 4,183 houses in these five colonies in January this year.

The matter is currently under the consideration of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, with the next date of hearing scheduled for January 30, 2026.

The enforcement drive stems from a petition filed in 2021 by the residential welfare association (RWA) of the DLF areas in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, raising concerns over illegal construction and commercial activities in residential zones. In 2024, the High Court directed the Haryana government to conduct a survey of houses where violations of regulations were observed.

However, residents and some property owners later approached the Supreme Court in April 2025, claiming that they were not given an opportunity to be heard by the High Court.

Following this, the Supreme Court on October 28 set aside the High Court’s order and directed that the appellants and all affected persons be allowed to apply to join the proceedings within two weeks. The apex court also instructed the state government to give wide publicity to this opportunity.

In line with these directions, the DTCP has asked all affected property owners to submit their replies by January 16.

As per departmental data, notices have been issued to 445 houses in DLF Phase 1, 872 in Phase 2, 845 in Phase 3, 198 in Phase 4 and 26 in Phase 5 for violations of occupancy certificate norms and building plan regulations. The total number of large houses in these phases is 2,386. The department has also identified 2,179 EWS houses across DLF phases one to five.