The Hindu : Development charges had place in 1977 policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 09, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Development charges had place in 1977 policy

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 8. The 1977 policy on regularisation of unauthorised colonies, which the Congress Government in Delhi insists should be followed, had a provision of collecting development charges from the residents. However, even the nominal amount determined by the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi as development charge, which was to be paid in instalments, was never deposited to the civic agencies by residents of almost all the 612 unauthorised colonies that were regularised under the scheme.

"In fact, the policy on regularisation of unauthorised colonies was never followed. This is the reason why in a large number of these colonies civic agencies are still to lay sewage lines, provide drinking water and construct a road network,'' said a senior MCD official.

Officials said the 1977 policy, announced by the then Prime Minister, late Indira Gandhi, envisaged preparation, finalisation and approval of a lay out plan.

It involved acquisition of land required for facilities, laying of infrastructure, construction of roads and various community facilities, collection of development charges, sanction of building plans and finally protect the public land from further encroachments.

"However, the plans of only a few colonies were prepared and approved. Almost no one paid developmental charges and got their building plans sanctioned,'' said a senior DDA official.

Giving details of the 1977 policy, which was formulated on the basis of recommendations of a Committee headed by the Union Urban Secretary on unauthorised colonies, the DDA official said all the structures were to be regularised after fitting them in a layout plan thqt would leave space for roads and other community facilities.

The families, which were displaced in the process of providing space for roads and other community facilities were to be rehabilitated by the civic agencies. And the developmental charges, as determined by the DDA and MCD were to be paid by the property owners, officials said.

Under the policy, the MCD was to take immediate steps to provide water and electricity connections in all the unauthorised colonies, he said. Other salient features of the 1977 policy included the setting up of a high-level implementation body to watch the progress of regularisation.

The DDA and the MCD will be implementing the authorities. In the process of regularisation, wherever necessary, change of land use will be considered with reference to the provisions of the Master Plan.''

Following the announcement of the policy, the DDA and MCD formulated a "process for regularisation of unauthorised colonies''.

This was to begin with a "physical survey'' for which residents were to pay a charge of Rs. 5 per sq. m. A socio-economic survey was to be followed"Preparation and approval of regularisation plan as per laid down procedure was followed by collection of development charges from the people,'' the official said.

It was followed by site demarcation in colonies for roads, services and pockets required for community facilities; rehabilitation of families affected by this; acquisition of areas required for roads, community facilities and infrastructure survey; preparation of estimates of development works, administrative approval and calling of tenders; undertaking site development, levelling, dressing, construction of roads, laying of services; sanction of building plans; and connecting internal services with city mains.

"Once this was done, the other public properties were to be disposed of and then the collection of final conversion and development charges,'' the official said. "But this was never implemented in letter and spirit,'' he added.

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