DDA nudges landowners to opt for land pooling policy, finds few takers

NEW DELHI: Delhi Development Authority’s attempt to motivate people to participate in a land pooling policy by reinviting applications from landowners of 105 villagers and forming consortiums has not received an encouraging response so far. Delhi’s land pooling policy of 2018 aims to develop 105 villages that are divided into five zones – P-II, KI, L, N and J. The land pooling, to be done by land owners through a consortium, requires 70% of the required land to be contiguous and without encumbrances. The idea is to bring city-like amenities, such as affordable housing, shopping centres, a robust transport system, schools parks and hospitals, to the villages. Pooling of land is supposed to be done on the basis of sectors as given in the zonal development plans.

DDA has given three months – from August 21 to November 18 – for land owners to register and participate in the exercise. Not a single application has come to form a consortium, according to
information with the authority till October 7.
Villagers have argued that unless an amendment proposed in the Delhi Development (DD) Act, 1957, is
passed in Parliament and the Delhi Master Plan, 2041, is notified, land pooling cannot be effectively implemented. “To encourage people in identified villages to participate in the policy, we opened the seventh application
window on August 21. No application has been received for the formation of a consortium till date. For
Sector 3 in zone P II, a revised agreement in accordance with the Land Pooling Regulation, 2018, was sought from the consortium,” a DDA official said.

The authority wants to hold more camps to motivate people to participate in the policy.
“For resolving issues and to assist landowners in submitting their applications, a helpdesk has been set up
at the DDA office complex in Pitampura,” the authority said in a circular.
“Till now, 24.6 hectares have been registered on the land pooling portal and DDA has issued provisional
notice and final notices for forming consortiums under the land pooling policy in 15 sectors. These sectors
are divided into three zones. For example, Sector 1, 2, 3, 7A, 7B, 7C, 8A & 12A are under zone P-II.
DDA has issued provisional consortium notices in their cases. For two other sectors – 8B and 12C – again
under zone P-II, final notices are to be issued after everything is found in place. A consortium has also been formed in sector 8B,” a DDA official said.

Bhupinder Bazad, president of the master plan committee of the Delhi Dehat Vikas Manch, said that
inviting applications would not make sense unless the amendments in the DD Act are passed in
Parliament.
“Unhappy with the delay in approving amendments and notification of MPD, 2041, villagers from 360
panchayats also held a meeting and expressed their concerns with the political leaders present at a
mahapanchayat at Peeragarhi. Even now, one consortium has been formed but development can’t start
here. Issues related to contiguity of land and joint ownership will persist until the amendment in the DD
Act is passed,” Bazad said.
Implementing the policy has hit operational impediments. To overcome these, the department has
proposed some amendments to the DD Act, 1957. “These amendments would enable greater flexibility as
well as enhanced facilitation by the authority while implementation the policy,” an official said. It will
empower the Centre to make land pooling mandatory even if minimum eligibility is not achieved.