Delhi Unauthorised Colonies: Centre Eases Norms for Property Regularisation
NEW DELHI: In a significant move aimed at providing relief to residents, the Centre on Tuesday announced major changes to ease the regularisation of residential properties and small convenience shops in unauthorised colonies across Delhi. The new norms, based on an "as is where is" criteria, apply to 1,511 colonies, allowing over 10 lakh families to obtain ownership rights without the previously mandatory approved layout plans.
Simplified Process for Ownership Rights
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal stated that properties will now be regularised without requiring sanctioned layout plans, a step expected to accelerate the process significantly. Residents can have building plans prepared by any architect empanelled by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and apply directly to the civic body for ownership rights. The announcements were made in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Previously, the absence of approved layout plans had been a major impediment, despite the 2019 regulations and the subsequent PM–Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY) envisioning regularisation on an "as is where is" basis. Till March-end, only about 40,000 conveyance deeds or authorisation slips had been issued under PM-UDAY.
Exclusions and New Procedures
While Delhi has 1,731 unauthorised colonies, those in the O Zone (Yamuna Flood Plain), forest or ridge areas, and 69 affluent colonies such as Sainik Farms and Mahendru Enclave are excluded from the scheme. Under the revised policy, the revenue department of the Delhi government, rather than the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), will issue conveyance deeds for ownership rights.
To prevent further unauthorised construction, MCD will conduct drone surveys every two months, and enforcement wings of MCD and DDA have been strengthened. The civic body will also issue 'certificates of regularisation' and survey vacant plots for civic infrastructure development.
Application Process and Timelines
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that applications for property ownership under the revised policy can be filed online through the PM-UDAY portal starting April 24. The process is set to speed up with a simplified approval system, aiming to issue deeds within 45 days. A clear timeline includes seven days for GIS survey reports, 15 days for addressing deficiencies, and the mandatory 45-day deadline for issuing conveyance deeds.
Applicants can log into the MCD SWAGAM portal, where colony names, wards, and zones are auto-populated. They must indicate if a PM-UDAY case identity exists; those without will be redirected to the PM-UDAY portal. Processing and issuance of conveyance deeds or authorisation slips will be handled by the revenue department with DDA support, following a building structure survey.
Specific Norms for Shops and Reconstruction
The updated policy allows regularisation of convenience shops up to 20 square metres if they have access to a right of way (RoW) of 6 metres, with shops up to 10 square metres requiring less than 6 metres RoW. Floor-wise regularisation is also permitted, as confirmed by D Thara, Additional Secretary in the Housing Ministry.
For reconstruction or redevelopment, land equivalent to 50% of the deficiency in RoW must be surrendered to achieve minimum access widths (6 metres for internal roads, 9 metres for approach roads). Floor area ratio (FAR) will be calculated on the original plot area but utilised within the reduced plot after surrender. If existing FAR exceeds permissible limits, penal charges of three times additional FAR charges will apply.
Impact and Future Prospects
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the amended regulations as bringing "hope, dignity and long-awaited security" to lakhs of families. Regularisation will enable residents to access loans against their properties, fostering opportunities for redevelopment and economic empowerment. The cut-off date for consideration is June 1, 2014, with the policy covering old buildings while requiring new constructions to follow MCD norms and seek permission.
The PM-UDAY register will be maintained, and regularisation certificates will be issued by MCD, ensuring a structured approach to this long-pending issue in Delhi's urban landscape.
