HC Takes Steps To Curb Rampant Illegal Construction In Delhi

With an aim to stop the growing menace of illegal construction in National Capital Region a three-member expert panel has been constituted by the High Court to investigate into illegal construction across Delhi. The committee members include CBI director DR Karthikeyan, ex- India Habitat Centre Director RMS Liberhan and retired district judge Ravinder Kaur.

In its report, the High Court mentioned that over 30 per cent of the population of Delhi is living in sub-human conditions and 10 per cent completely in inhuman condition because of the illegal construction prevailing in the city.

The committee observed that illegal construction cannot happen without connivance. The nexus between builder and government officials thrives in our cities by buying protection  and insurance from the law enforcers. In situations like these, buyers are in a vulnerable situation, rest, the builder, architect, owner, all have vested interest.

The committee also said that without enforcing any criminal liability on the developer- architect- owner-official nexus, no respite is possible. The concerned executives engineer, owner, architect and builder should be held liable for ten years from the date of the sanctioned plan and in case it is a non-sanctioned plan from the acquisition of title of the illegal premises. 

To overcome this issue, the panel has recommended that all the layout approved by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) should be displayed in the concerned colonies and “cast in stone”. Further, the copy of the layout plan for any colony or construction should be made available in the office of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) as well as the website of the MCD.

The Delhi High Court formulated this committee after receiving several Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging illegal construction in Delhi NCR.

Also Read: Maharashtra Keen To Regularise Unauthorised Constructions

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