Notification delayed, likely to be issued today

The much-awaited notification which will regularise unauthorised colonies has been delayed by a day. The Delhi government is yet to get the file from the Union urban development ministry approving the decision.

The much-awaited notification which will regularise unauthorised colonies has been delayed by a day. The Delhi government is yet to get the file from the Union urban development ministry approving the decision.

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Sources said the ongoing ruckus in the monsoon session of Parliament caused the delay in finalising the files that have to be sent to the Lt. Governor for his final approval.

“The file that we need to send to the Lt. Governor is ready but we are awaiting a letter from the ministry approving the regularisation. Once we get that, we will send the file to the Lt. Governor’s office for the notification to be issued,” said a Delhi government official. According to officials, the notification is likely to be issued by Thursday evening.

Estimates say more than 30 lakh people reside in the 917 colonies that will be authorised. Regularisation will make residents owners of their properties in these areas.

On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had announced that the government will grant the legit tag to 917 unauthorised colonies of the 1,639 spread across the city. According to sources, Dikshit has also sent a letter to the Union urban development ministry, informing them about their views on colonies that are either on forest land or Ridge area. There are still 722 colonies which are yet to be regularised.

Dikshit had promised that these colonies too will be regularised after certain changes in the guidelines were made as they were either on Forest land, Ridge area or within regulated area (101-300 metres) of a centrally protected monument.

The state government had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,218 unauthorised colonies ahead of assembly polls in 2008. The Delhi government headed by Dikshit, while distributing the certificates, had promised to regularise the colonies if Congress came to power for the third term. However, not a single colony was regularised.