Sheila Dikshit Announces Regularising of 917 Unauthorised Colonies

New Delhi: In a major decision which will provide relief to 40 lakh people in the city, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced regularising of over 900 unauthorised colonies, a key promise made by Congress ahead of assembly polls in 2008.
Dikshit, who had pushed hard to regularise the colonies after the electoral debacle of the Congress in municipal polls held in April, said her government made a "historical decision" to regularise 917 colonies out of 1,639 such settlements which were provided provisional regularisation certificates.
"The city government has been able to resolve the vexed issue of unauthorised colonies as we have decided to regularise them which will benefit 40 lakh residents. We have removed the sword of demolition hanging over the unauthorised colonies," she said addressing a press conference along with all six cabinet ministers and scores of party MLAs.
The notification to this effect is expected to be issued, Dikshit said, adding that the file has been sent to Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna.
The announcement is seen as Dikshit's preparation for the assembly polls which are due in 15 months.
Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath had given a green signal to regularise unauthorised colonies when Dikshit met him to press for early approval for their regularisation of the settlements, considered traditional votebank of the Congress in the city of 1.67 crore.
"Our stand from the very beginning was crystal clear that not a single colony would be demolished. We are grateful that the Union Minister of Urban Development Kamal Nath has been kind enough to appreciate the difficulties of the residents of unauthorised colonies," Dikshit said.
The Delhi government had completed all the ground work for regularisation of the colonies.
It had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,639 unauthorised colonies ahead of assembly polls in 2008. The then Dikshit government, while distributing the certificates, had promised to regularise the colonies if Congress came to power for the third term. However, not a single colony was regularised till now.
After the Congress' defeat in municipal polls in April, Dikshit had asked all concerned departments to expedite the regularisation process. The Chief Minister said the people of the unauthorised colonies are being provided relief taking inspiration from policies of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
"I was told that 612 colonies in the city were regularised by Indira Gandhi while Rajiv Gandhi had given power and water connections to around 400 such settlements.... We followed the example of Indiraji and Rajivji in providing the relief," Dikshit said.
Slamming BJP for accusing her of failing to regularise the colonies, Dikshit said the government was fulfilling the promise it made in 2008.
"We will not allow a single house to be demolished in the unauthorised colonies and people have constructed them putting all their hard-earned money," she said adding her government would now act swiftly in providing all civic amenities in the settlements on par with the developed colonies.
The Chief Minister lauded senior Minister A K Walia for working "tirelessly" to expedite the process of regularisation. In the Cabinet reshuffle, Walia was yesterday divested of the Urban Development department and it has been given to Arvinder Singh Lovely.
"I specially thank A K Walia for doing all the hardwork in expediting the process of regularisation. He worked more than the bureaucrats," she said.
Asked why Walia was removed from the department if he was doing good work, Dikshit said the cabinet rejig was carried out to infuse fresh energy into functioning of the government. "The reshuffle of portfolios was carried out to re-energise the government. Some Ministers were overburdened while some others did not have much work. So I have decided to rationalise responsibilities," she said.
Dikshit said UD Ministry has also assured Delhi Government that ways will be found out to regularise colonies which were developed on ASI and Forest land.
"It has been conveyed to the city Government that these colonies will also be regularised soon by effecting modification in the law, wherever required," she said resolving to regularise all unauthorised colonies which have submitted their details to the UD Department.
Asked on regularisation of affluent unauthorised colonies, she said the UD Ministry was finalising norms for the purpose. Dikshit said government the UD Ministry has also agreed in principle to grant freehold rights to residents of 45 resettlement colonies which were developed almost 50 years ago.
"The UD Ministry has agreed in principle to the proposal submitted by the city Government to grant ownership rights in such colonies. The Ministry has decided to prepare a cabinet note on this matter to solicit approval of the Union Cabinet," she said.