Centre finally authorized the long pending demand of CM Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government to legitimize 1797 colonies in Delhi bringing joy to millions of Delhi residents.
The ‘Right to Own’ is now a reality for millions of underprivileged living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi. Central Government has finally authorized the AAP Government’s 2015 proposal to legalize thousands of residential areas in Delhi.
The move now allows residents of such colonies to regularise their homes. This has been a long-standing desire of thousands of such Delhi residents. As per reports, officials have already demarcated the boundaries of the 1,797 unauthorized colonies. Land-owning agencies consulted stakeholders like resident welfare associations before finalizing demarcations.
Upholding the right to own for Delhi’s Underprivileged
A number of these are on government land. But that has been overcome in a celebrated move where poor residents can regularise their houses with a regularisation fee, a certain percentage of circle rate prevalent in the area.
CM Kejriwal along with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia directed concerned officials to complete the process with immediate effect. Scientific methods like Satellite and Total Solution Methods are being used to demarcate the boundaries. Deputy CM Sisodia told reporters in July that the government will seek a report on a regular basis to monitor boundary fixation work.
As per reports, registration for houses will now begin after the Centre’s nod and boundary of particular colonies fixed. There are lakhs of underprivileged residents in these 1,797 unauthorized colonies of Delhi without basic rights. They will ow benefit economically as well as culturally through the new land ownership and transfer rights.
Long pending demand of Delhi’s residents
The Housing and Urban Affairs ministry prepared a cabinet note to give land ownership and transfer rights to these colonies. The move is the realization of a demand stretching back to 2015 from the Delhi Government. In fact, in October 2018, the Supreme Court had called out the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for “stalling everything”.
So, now with Centre’s approval, the Delhi Government will be able to help millions. Almost 9 million underprivileged (90 lakh) people stay in slums and unauthorized colonies without basic credence, rights, and also civic amenities. The policy will also help uplift the real estate market in the capital. Property prices will rise once these areas have been authorized.
Another reform that’s part of the greater vision
Almost 49% of Delhi’s total population lives in slum areas. In around 860 Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters, there are around 4 lac 20 thousand shanties. Unauthorized colonies are also subjected to numerous sealing drives in the capital. Over 6,000 properties have been sealed since December 2017 over violation of mixed land use.
The reform comes on the back of many such initiatives, schemes, and actions. AAP’s long-term vision is also to make Delhi’s land and services equal equity shared by all its citizens. Recently, the Chief Minister also promised to bring water pipelines to many such colonies in Delhi. However, now the next step is to bring such basic civic amenities to this half of Delhi’s population. The 49 percent was devoid of such citizen rights for years.
The AAP Government is upping the ante on other state governments. From the phenomenal work in education, and also quality health to free water and cheap electricity. So, Delhi has become a model for the development and progress that Indian infrastructure and societies need. Consequently, AAP’s steps cater to various strata of the society. The core focus is on new approaches to uplift the under-privileged of the capital.
