DTCP to step up outreach efforts for regularising unauthorised colonies

The Haryana government’s proposal to regularise illegal colonies and give the residents outside the municipal limits basic civic infrastructure — to be executed by the department of town and country planning (DTCP) — has met with a lukewarm response, said officials privy to the matter on Saturday.

According to officials, DTCP received only seven applications from the dwellers of the total 100 such colonies, mostly on the outskirts of the city, till Friday. The applications have been submitted by four colonies in Sadhrana, two in Bhoran Kala, and one in Sultanpur since July 1, when the window for the scheme was opened. DTCP, meanwhile, said that it will “soon start a drive to educate the residents about the advantages of the scheme, and convince them to apply for the regularisation, which is open till December 31 this year”.

“We want the majority of these colonies to take advantage of this scheme at the earliest. Once the scheme closes, demolition drives will be carried out in such colonies, affecting the lives of the residents there badly… The external development charges for the regularisation process are also very less, but people still seem to be reluctant to apply for it,” according to Amit Madholia, district town planner (enforcement).

Officials also said that a fresh round of public announcements will be made in these colonies, and meetings will be held with the sarpanches there to ensure that the residents apply for the regularisation. As per the Haryana government, development of these colonies will be regularised under the Haryana Management of Civic Amenities and Infrastructure Deficient Areas Outside Municipal Area (Special Provisions) Act, 2021; and the policy under this Act was notified on July 19 this year.

A senior DTCP official privy to the matter, meanwhile, said that residents of these colonies have been reluctant to apply for the scheme as regularisation fees would be between ₹1.5 and ₹2 lakh per plot, depending on the circle rate and size. “There’s no doubt that the residents will get proper amenities, but they don’t want to spend money and are not even very keen on the regularisation process,” he said, on the condition of anonymity.

Under the policy, residents of such colonies, residents welfare associations (RWAs) or developers can apply for the regularisation, under provisions of deficient services. In case an applicant is a coloniser, the person will have to submit proof of the ownership — a registered sale deed or agreement on stamp paper/power of attorney, farm jamabandi of the time when such a colony was sold or developed, the present jamabandi and the list of plot holders, along with a document of the ownership. RWAs will have to submit a valid registration certificate.

The colonies eligible to apply under the policy have been put into four categories, depending on whether the built-up area is 25%, between 25% and 50%, between 50% and 75%, or between 75% and 100%, said DTCP officials.