The Hindu : New Delhi News : Scope of de-sealing limited, says MCD

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 03, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Scope of de-sealing limited, says MCD

Staff Reporter

Illegal colonies formed after March 31, 2002, not covered under Centre’s directive

NEW DELHI: The Leader of the House in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Subhash Arya, and MCD Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta on Saturday said the Centre’s directive to suspend demolition and sealing of unauthorised structures in the Capital was limited in scope.

It was also silent on the fate of illegal structures existing in mixed land use areas and commercial structures existing on the first and second floors on roads notified by the MCD, they added.

Addressing a joint press conference here, Mr. Gupta said that going by the notification, only 3,500 shops situated at Madhu Vihar, Sanjay Nagar, Said-ul-Ajab, Neb Sarai, Razapur, Mahipalpur, Nangloi and Badli would be de-sealed. Of these, nearly 70 per cent would be de-sealed by the Delhi Development Authority. Mr. Gupta said that as per the notification the scope of de-sealing and “no punitive action” was limited to encroachment or unauthorised development of only those unauthorised colonies, village “abadi” areas and extensions which existed on March 31, 2002. The unauthorised colonies and village abadi areas that had come into existence after this date would not be covered under the directive, he pointed out.

Mr. Arya said the Centre had issued the notification to serve the Congress party’s political interests in view of the coming Delhi Assembly elections. “The notification does not talk about unauthorised constructions beyond 15-metre height, regularisation of ‘chhajjas’ (parapet) and projections and sub-division of residential plots and houses,” he added.

Mr. Arya also blamed the Central Government for earlier delay in bringing notifications to extend the moratorium since the Act was promulgated. This had caused a great deal of harassment to the people, he charged.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi