Farmhouses flouting norms to get 48 hours to reply or be sealed

A monitoring committee formed by the apex court found ’large-scale’ misuse during an inspection this week.

The Supreme Court appointed-monitoring committee has tightened its noose on farmhouses and motels in the Delhi, which are rented out for weddings and parties violating land use norms. The committee has directed municipal corporations to seal such premises after issuing them notices with a 48-hour deadline.

The directions came after an inspection of a number of farmhouses by the committee on Wednesday where it found “large-scale” misuse and unauthorised constructions. The committee has also sought a compliance report from the civic bodies by September 28. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The directions came after an inspection of a number of farmhouses by the committee on Wednesday where it found “large-scale” misuse and unauthorised constructions. The committee has also sought a compliance report from the civic bodies by September 28.

The south Delhi municipal corporation (SDMC) had on Thursday evening sealed the Tivoli Garden Resort in the Chhatarpur area after directions from the committee, which had found violations at the property on Wednesday during inspection.

In an official communication sent to the three municipal corporations and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Thursday, the monitoring committee said that it noticed large scale violations in the farmhouses and motels falling under the jurisdiction of the SDMC and the North Delhi municipal corporation.

“The owners and occupiers of these motels and farmhouses have constructed huge air-conditioned pandals and sheds in their plots without permission from the municipal corporation or the fire department. These are being used for holding social functions,” the communiqué dated September 20 said.

There are more than 100 farmhouses across the national capital used for hosting weddings and parties. Civic officials said that there are 36 farmhouses in the south zone and the Najafgarh zone of SDMC and 31 under the jurisdiction of the North Corp.

The monitoring committee said that the basements of these properties were found being used for commercial purposes “in violation of permitted use” as per sanctioned plan, which was permitted for parking services only.

“The monitoring committee has decided that all the farm houses and motels which are in violation of the sanctioned building plan and completion plan be sealed immediately after issuing notices giving 48 hours (excepting holidays) time for reply as to why the farm houses and motels premises being misused should not be sealed,” the communication said.

The committee had started a sealing drive in December last year and since then several properties including restaurants, shops, farmhouses have been sealed for violating norms.

The municipal corporations said they will issue notices to the owners of the farm houses from Monday. Officials from the north and south corporations said that a survey would be conducted to find out the number of properties where norms were flouted. They said notices would be served to the erring farmhouses consequently.

“The directions of the monitoring committee on the sealing issue would be followed. The sealing of farm houses which are misusing the property would be sealed if they fail to respond to the notices within 48 hours from Monday,” an SDMC official not authorised to speak to the media, said. When contacted, Tivoli Garden Resort refused to comment.