Rajya Sabha passes Bill granting rights to illegal colonies in Delhi

Union urban development minister Hardeep Puri said that after the bill gets the President’s nod, work on uploading of maps of 1,731 colonies would be completed.

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed by a voice vote a bill that grants ownership rights to people living in 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on November 28, is expected to benefit eight lakh families. (HT File / Photo used for representational purpose only)

The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on November 28, is expected to benefit eight lakh families.

Speaking during the discussion, union urban development minister Hardeep Puri said that after the bill gets the President’s nod, work on uploading of maps of 1,731 colonies would be completed.

“We have already uploaded maps of 1,130 colonies. After uploading all maps, we would give 15 days for filing objections (by resident welfare associations and other stakeholders),” he said.

Puri said the registration of property in these colonies would be done “either in the name of women head of the family or jointly (with male member)”. The stamp duty and other charges for registration of houses in these colonies, would be nominal.

About a decision on colonies that fall in forest areas, Archaeological Survey of India-protected land, Zone O, Yamuna flood plains and in affluent categories, the minister said these would be would be taken up separately.

Goel cited a letter sent by the Centre to the Delhi government dated May 31, 2017, to make boundaries and layouts of the unauthorised colonies, and said the AAP government had replied that “we cannot do it till July 2019”.

AAP member Sanjay Singh protested against the remarks and accused the BJP leader of misguiding the House by giving “false information”.

Speaking during the discussion, Congress’s Digvijay Singh had said when the delimitation was done by the central government, the Delhi Government should have given ownership rights to these residents with executive orders and there was no need for this bill.

His colleague Jairam Ramesh asked the minister to give some other nomenclature to unauthorised colonies like ‘duly authorised’.