North Delhi civic body proposes to regularise illegal constructions

Plot owners will have to pay a penalty amount, fixed on the basis of the circle rate, for the excess construction for getting their property regularised.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has proposed to regularise all illegal constructions done over properties measuring 50-250 square metres till December 31, 2016.

Plot owners will have to pay a penalty amount, fixed on the basis of the circle rate, for the excess construction for getting their property regularised.

The standing committee, the highest decision-making body of the municipal body, on Friday approved an amnesty scheme for unauthorised constructions on Friday. The proposal, which will have to be ratified by the House of elected councillors, if implemented, will benefit thousands of people.

Plot owners will have to pay a penalty amount, fixed on the basis of the circle rate, for the excess construction for getting their property regularised.

Standing committee chairman Tilak Raj Kataria said, “95% constructions in north Delhi are unauthorised and are in violation of the building bylaws. They have cropped up over decades and it will not be possible to demolish them now.”

“To give relief to thousands of people living in such buildings, we have decided to implement the amnesty scheme. It will also save people from day-to-day harassment by officials,” said Kataria.

The building by-laws mandate that residential properties constructed on a plot area between 50-100 square metres can cover up to 90% of ground area or may have a 350 FAR (floor area ratio) while the plots measuring between 100 and 250 square metres may cover 75% of ground area.

Officials clarified that the scheme will not cover encroachment on government land, height violations (above 17.5 metres) and plot with no structural safety certificate, as required under the Master Plan of Delhi-2021.

“The scheme will be applied to properties in planned, plotted, regularised unauthorised areas and urban villages . The property owner must get a certificate from an architect that there is no violation of the height and structural safety rules,” said Kataria.

A standing committee member said since the proposal will require amendment to building by-laws under the Master Plan 2021, a copy will be sent to the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs for approval.

“Once the Centre approves it, the final draft of the scheme will be prepared,” said Kataria.

The civic agency believes that if implemented, the scheme will help increase its property tax revenues by up to R5,000 crore per annum.

The opposition welcomed the scheme but demanded that it should be extended to all property owners, irrespective of their plot size.

“It’s a good move. But why give the benefit to those who have not followed FAR area rule. The approval should be given irrespective of the number of floors. Otherwise, the scheme will become irrelevant for common man and benefit only 10-15% building mafias,” said Prerna Singh, a Congress councillor.

Aam Aadmi Party councillor Vikas moved a dissent motion, alleging lack of clarity in the proposal. “It will encourage illegal construction. Also, the scheme is not supported by relevant data,” he said.