Despite affidavit, sealed houses stay shut

For the past two years more than 3,000 properties in south Delhi have been lying locked waiting to get de-sealed.

For the past two years more than 3,000 properties in south Delhi have been lying locked waiting to get de-sealed.

These residential properties were sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as the owners had been
carrying out commercial activities from there which, is not allowed.

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However, even after submitting an affidavit that they will not misuse their properties, the properties have not been de-sealed by the civic agency so far.

The harassed owners have been making running from pillar to post at the MCD offices hoping to get their properties de-sealed, only to return disappointed.

These properties are situated in central and south zone of the MCD in areas such as Green Park, Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, South Extension, Gautam Nagar, Malviya Nagar among others.

According to the MCD officials, they have been unable to de-seal such properties as the Supreme Court appointed Monitoring Committee, on whose directions these properties were sealed, has now asked the MCD to check whether any illegal construction has been carried out in these properties. In case illegal construction is detected in any property,
the committee has directed the MCD not to de-seal the property.

Officials of the civic agency further claim that these properties were sealed on charges of misusing their properties and now that an affidavit is being furnished by the owner that they will not use it commercially it should be de-sealed.

“We can’t make illegal construction a criterion for refusing to de-seal them. In unauthorised regularised colonies and urbanised villages there is illegal construction in most properties. We will have to seal all the properties then. We can’t adopt a pick-and-choose policy,” added the official.