NEW DELHI: Municipal Commissioner A.K. Nigam on Thursday clarified that unauthorised structures demolished before the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, came into force cannot be reconstructed as the law does not allow it.

Replying to questions from various Councillors during the Standing Committee meeting, Mr. Nigam said: "Residents whose illegal structures were razed during the drive cannot reconstruct their homes or shops. The new law does not say that one can re-build a demolished structure."

The Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006, only allowed maintaining the status quo on unauthorised structures in the Capital as on January 1, 2006. However, there was no restriction on carrying out renovation and other minor work in a house as per the sanctioned plan, the Municipal Commissioner added.

On the issue of new constructions on "Lal Dora" land, Mr. Nigam said he would take legal opinion on whether a person can construct a house in Lal Dora or extended Lal Dora villages without getting sanction from the civic body. "We will soon come out with detailed guidelines on the same," he added.

MCD Standing Committee Chairman Jai Kishan Sharma asked Mr. Nigam to publish a detailed public notice addressing various issues related to constructions in residential and commercial areas besides Lal Dora villages and rural areas in the wake of the new Act so that the confusion on the issue could be cleared. Several Councillors alleged that despite the law, court commissioners and other MCD officials were harassing people and not allowing them to carry renovation of their houses. In several areas people were not being allowed to carry out work related to cleaning, painting and replacing old walls with new ones, they added.

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