The Hindu : New Delhi News : Housing societies yet to get completion papers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 25, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Housing societies yet to get completion papers

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI, MARCH 24. Full two decades after they were constructed, 33 cooperative group housing societies at Paschim Vihar in West Delhi are still awaiting issue of completion certificate to them by Delhi Development Authority. Of all the 35 such housing societies in Paschim Vihar, only two have been issued completion certificates till date. This when the rules stipulate that without the completion certificate no building can be occupied.

While DDA insists that "action against unauthorised construction has been initiated under the provisions of Delhi Development Act 1957 for regularisation or rectification by the societies concerned", it remains silent on whether any responsibility has been fixed for the inordinate delay and what have been the reasons for the same.

However, the reason for rejection as per the 20 societies that had applied for the completion certificate is rampant corruption in DDA. "Nothing moves there without payment of money,'' said an office-bearer claiming that the demands also run not into thousands but lakhs of rupees.

Pointing out that while the applications are rejected on various counts such as unauthorised construction, non-completion of documents and development work, non-deposition of compounding fees and incomplete development work, he said, what really irks the office bearers is that they are not seeking any personal favours and only want the completion certificates as they are mandatory requirements.

"When we have been living in these houses for over a decade, do you think that would have been possible without all the basic facilities and development works in place. Obviously, the excuses being furnished for rejection of the applications are all false,'' the agitated office-bearer said.

Warning DDA against taking any drastic measures in the matter, he said, the societies would once again approach the authorities to seek redressal of their long-standing grievances as in the absence of a completion certificate, they are treated as unauthorised entities despite the fact that they meet all other legal requirements.

Meanwhile DDA has charged 13 societies with not applying for the completion certificate at all. These societies are Gasta, Maha Manav, North End, Jahaj, IITD, Liberal, Mayur, University Teacher, Sahidya, Lake View, Backward Class, and Delhi University Teachers (Non Academic).

Of the other societies it said 10 had indulged in unauthorised construction while the remaining had defaulted on other counts.

The Authority is hoping that the regularisation and rectification would take place as no unauthorised construction in violation of Master Plan or building by-laws is permitted.

But while the issue of Paschim Vihar has even been raised in Parliament, the problem pertains to virtually the whole of Delhi. The general secretary of Rohini Samaj Sewa Sansthan, Sanjiv Kumar, said that of the 150 societies in Rohini, less than half possessed the completion certificates.

"The completion certificate requires that availability of water, planning of green areas, their maintenance, and requirements of elevations and infrastructure must all be as per the Master Plan. However, as practical needs make this impossible, deviations exist in almost all the societies as a result of which either they have to pay up or they decide not to apply for the completion certificate as it saves them from harassment at the hands of DDA officials,'' he said.

Noting that completion certificate norms should be relaxed, he said, this would be suggested to the DDA which has now sought comments on the Draft Master Plan 2021. This is also important as for conversion of properties to freehold, a completion certificate is mandatory. "But while till now the conversions have been taking place through payment of bribes, relaxing of the norms would do away with this malaise too.''

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