NEW DELHI: The onus for implementing the Centre’s decision to grant ownership status to residents of unauthorised colonies in the national capital rests on the civic bodies.
The three municipal corporations will have a critical role in shaping the future of 1,797 unauthorised colonies.
“Once regularized, the registration process is to be taken care of by the Delhi government. The MCDs would come into play after that as they would be responsible for planning the layout of such colonies.
They will decide where new buildings would come up, which areas are to be left as open spaces and which spaces are to be used for other purposes. Based on their layouts, building plans would be sanctioned,” a top official of one of the MCDs told this newspaper. He said ‘obligatory duties’ like maintaining and cleaning such colonies will automatically come to MCD.
“As to how long it would take for the whole process to be done can only be determined once the notification is issued. The power to approve layouts is vested with the standing committee. Some RWAs have already chalked out the layout plan. This will help to quicken the pace,” the official said.KS Mehra, former commissioner of the erstwhile single MCD, said good coordination among all stakeholders, including the Centre, Delhi government and the civic bodies, would be the key to hastening the process.
“Now, schools and hospitals can come up in these settlements. Once, the civic bodies take charge of the process, there will be more development. However, what is important now is to fix the boundaries of these colonies and prevent construction outside their limits,” Mehra said.