Rajya Sabha passes bill to protect illegal colonies, slums in Delhi till 2020

The existing law gives legal protection to illegal constructions and unauthorized colonies till December 31, 2017.

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed a bill to extend for three years the provisions of a law that protects slums and unauthorised construction in Delhi from punitive action.

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed a bill to extend for three years the provisions of a law that protects slums and unauthorised construction in Delhi from punitive action.

With the passing of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2017, the validity of current laws has been extended till December 31, 2020. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Wednesday.

The existing law gives legal protection to illegal constructions and unauthorized colonies till December 31, 2017.

Replying to a discussion, housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri said there was no option other than extending the provisions of the law as the Delhi government had submitted an affidavit in the high court saying it needed two more years to complete work. He said without an extension, the threat of punitive action would hang over the people’s head.

“I don’t have any answer as to why nothing was done between 2008 and 2014, but after 2014 an attempt to fast-track things has been made,” he said

The extension of the Act was necessitated because adoption of measures to finalise norms, policy guidelines and feasible strategies for making orderly arrangements to deal with the problem of encroachment and unauthorised development have to be taken by agencies, including the Delhi government, DDA and the three municipal corporations.

The bill will provide immunity to all properties that have additional unauthorized constructions, shops/ commercial establishments running from residential areas, high-end designer boutiques and furniture showrooms in Mehrauli Gurgaon Road, Shahpur Jat, Hauz Khas Village and other rural and urbanised villages.

Rift between Delhi CM and L-G (

During the discussion on the bill, several members, including SP leader Naresh Agrawal, CPI MP D Raja and AITC member Nadimul Haque drew the attention of the House towards the rift between the lieutenant governor and the Delhi chief minister and how it was taking a toll on governance.

Deputy chairperson PJ Kurien asked Puri to take the initiative to “sort out the friction between” the L-G and CM. The minister, a veteran diplomat, responded by saying that he had negotiated with terrorists in his career but the task suggested by the chair would be difficult. “Maybe I will invite them (L-G and CM) for lunch,” he said.

Several MPs raised questions about the Delhi CM not being invited for launch of the Magenta line Metro. “The inauguration was done in the UP segment of Metro,” Puri said.

On the allegations that a blind school was razed, the minister said it was an unauthorized construction on government land in the garb of a school for the blind children. He said the government had offered to rehabilitate the children in another nearby school.