New Delhi
With the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) facing hurdles in the execution of its land pooling policy, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said amendments to the Delhi Development Act, 1957, have been proposed to speed up its implementation.
Through the proposed amendments, pooling of land for owners who are yet to express their willingness becomes mandatory once the participation rate reaches the minimum threshold of 70%.
Also, an amendment to grant powers to the Central government to declare pooling mandatory — even if the minimum threshold of 70% is not achieved — has been proposed.
Mr. Puri made the announcement at a press meet with Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri seated beside him.
Asked whether the announcements were made in view of the municipal elections next month, Mr. Puri said the preparations, including stakeholder consultations, had been going on since last year.
Contiguity factor
According to the land pooling policy, 70% of contiguous land in a sector is required to attain eligibility for the formation of a landowners’ consortium. While the participation of owners has crossed 70% in various sectors, contiguity is yet to be achieved, leading to no development since the policy was notified in 2013.
“This [amendment] will speed up the process because the remaining unpooled land will become part of the scheme. It will also eliminate the problem we face with the contiguity of land,” said a senior DDA official.
Two-pronged strategy
Meanwhile, DDA is looking to issue conditional notices for the formation of consortiums till the time the amendments are approved. “Keeping in view that the proposed amendments will have to follow the due legislative process, which will take time, a second strategy has also been worked out. It has been decided that DDA will issue conditional notice for formation of consortium for the eligible sectors (where 70% land is pooled), stating that the consortium would ensure proper contiguity of all the partially participated khasras at the time of filing the implementation plan,” a press note stated.
At present, 104 villages – that have been divided into six zones and further divided into 129 sectors — have been identified for land pooling. A total of 16 high-priority sectors in zones L, N and P-II have been identified by DDA, citing a robust rate of participation.
“We are issuing the notice on the condition that the landowners resolve the issue of contiguity themselves. The landowners who have participated can negotiate with those who are yet to participate, to form contiguous land. This opportunity will help boost the latter’s confidence about the policy,” the senior official said.
According to the policy, 60% of the land will be used by the owners or developer entity for the purpose of developing residential and commercial facilities, while 40% of the land will be surrendered to service providing agencies, such as the DDA, for infrastructural developments.
Apart from this, appointment of a ‘land pooling officer’ to prepare a sector plan, and for its notification, has been proposed. Further emphasis has been laid on modifications in the existing policy, such as Additional Development Control (ADC) norms, which include Transferable Development Rights.
Mr. Puri said regulations for applicants of PM-UDAY, the scheme which allows residents of unauthorised colonies to apply for ownership rights, would also be relaxed. The Ministry proposed doing away with the mandatory provision of a will as many residents did not have the document.
Slum rehabilitation
“Jahan Jhuggi Wahan Makan scheme for in-situ slum rehabilitation will benefit more than 50 lakh people by offering pucca homes to those living in informal settlements in Delhi. Three projects in Kalkaji, Jailorwala Bagh and Kathputli colony comprising 8,000 houses are already in progress,” said Mr. Puri.
Previously, a senior DDA official had confirmed that work on six in-situ slum rehabilitation projects, which aim to provide a total of 10,337 EWS (economically weaker sections) houses, will start this year in Rohini, Dilshad Garden, Shalimar Bagh and Haiderpur.
Furthermore, the agency is likely to float tenders for four more projects, including eight JJ clusters, by the end of March. With a total of 15,086 households, the eight clusters are based in Kalkaji Extension, Kusumnpur Pahadi near Vasant Vihar, Mazdoor Kalyan Camp, Okhla and Indira Kalyan Vihar, Okhla.
