Delhi Cong opposes UDM's conversion charges

The DPCC came out openly against conversion charges for regularisation of residential constructions saying it was 'exorbitant', reports Amitabh Shukla.

Centre proposes but Delhi Congress disposes.

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The Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) on Tuesday came out openly against the stiff conversion charges for the regularisation of residential constructions and for commercialisation, saying it was "exorbitant".

At the executive committee meeting of the DPCC, it was demanded that conversion charges declared by the Urban Development Ministry were beyond the reach of the common people and should be drastically cut.

It also demanded that the conversion charges for commercial activities should be levied only once.

Ironically, the entire Delhi Cabinet, including Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, absented themselves from the meeting even as the resolution was being passed.

Chandni Chowk MP and union minister Kapil Sibal, however, was present.

Sajjan Kumar, MP from Outer Delhi, introduced the resolution, saying the conversion charges of the UDM was beyond the paying capacity of the traders and general public and therefore that should be scaled.

He demanded those roads in the rural areas, which had not been notified for mixed land use, should promptly be notified for mixed land use. The resolution was adopted.

"In the conversion charges notified by the government, in the E, F and G category colonies for plots measuring 50 metres, the regularisation charges would be minimum Rs 31,000 which will be in addition to other taxes, making it out of the reach of an ordinary citizen," Sharma said.

Sharma pointed out that people who own plots measuring 100 metres in the A, B and C, D categories would have to pay more than Rs 4.5 lakh and Rs 1.75 lakh respectively, which would be totally unjustified.

For the regularisation of commercial activities on the notified roads, the DPCC president said it was "unjust".

Email Amitabh Shukla: ashukla@hindustantimes.com