NEW DELHI: Delhi L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday directed officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to come up with a plan to “target, halt and dismantle” unauthorised constructions in the city.
Chairing a high-level review meeting, Sandhu emphasised the need for a comprehensive action plan for stronger urban governance, improved civic infrastructure and enhanced structural safety across the national capital. He called for a regulatory framework that ensures strict enforcement of building bylaws, penalising illegal constructions or expansions and fixes absolute institutional accountability across all municipal zones.
The L-G asked the MCD officials to implement a time-bound strategy to tackle unauthorised constructions decisively. He also reviewed key civic priorities, including the desilting of storm-water drains ahead of the monsoon, road and pavement repairs for dust mitigation and intensified garbage clearance to strengthen sanitation standards.
The action plan to curb and regulate unauthorised constructions will include a high-intensity strategy by the civic body mandating the complete detection and sealing or demolition of all ongoing and existing unauthorised constructions within a strict timeframe.
The MCD will also come up with a stringent plan to identify, process, and curb illegal residential and commercial vertical expansions that violate the approved building blueprints or standard safety codes.
Local engineers, technical staff and municipal oversight officers will be directly held accountable for any undetected illegal modifications or ongoing unauthorised construction within their respective jurisdictions.
Other issues discussed in the meeting included desilting and monsoon preparedness. In view of the forthcoming rainy season, the municipal body presented its comprehensive monsoon action plan, specifically prioritising the desilting and maintenance of storm-water drains ahead of the rain season to prevent local silt accumulation and terminal waterlogging.
A status update on intensified garbage clearance and legacy waste remediation across the national capital’s landfill sites was also presented in the meeting. Further, the status of focussed dust mitigation measures was reviewed to curb ambient air pollution—complemented by road and pavement repairs.