Illegal ‘affluent’ colonies too may be regularised

Dikshit told Newsline on Friday: "Regularisation of affluent colonies is also part of the government's agenda and I will bring up the issue with Union Minister Kamal Nath on Monday. Colonies such as Sainik Farms and some plots in Anant Ram Dairy were built on private land and should be regularised."

Though the regularisation process for unauthorised colonies have commenced and is going at a steady pace in recent months, affluent colonies were not included after taking legal hurdles into consideration. According to Dikshit, all issues related to such colonies would be debated on Monday.

Recently, the Delhi government sent a list of 917 unauthorised colonies to the Centre, with approval from all departments concerned. The Centre will soon present a report to the Delhi High Court to vacate an interim order of 2007 to complete the regularisation process.

Amnesty to such posh colonies would come at a hefty price. CM said residents in affluent colonies opting for regularisation will be heavily fined. "I support fines for owners in such colonies, which is not only fair, but will serve as a deterrent in the future," Dikshit said.

She said while affluent colonies on privately owned land would qualify easily, she would take a call on colonies located on government land after discussion with the Union ministry.

Delhi's Minister for Urban Development Dr A K Walia said the Delhi government had discussed the K K Mathur Committee Report on the scheme in affluent colonies recently and agreed on most points in the report.

The Mathur Committee was constituted in 2006 to "look into the various aspects pertaining to farm houses and unauthorised colonies inhabited by affluent sections of society". The committee recommended regularisation of all affluent unauthorised colonies but with heavy penalties.

"We have studied the Mathur Committee report and agree with most of its recommendations. The Chief Minister will take it up with the Union ministry," Walia said. He said the city government also wanted to clarify from the Centre the classification of "affluent" colonies.

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