NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has launched a self-assessment scheme for ‘damage properties’ under which the occupants can calculate ‘damage charges’ themselves and pay online. If one pays up the dues within six months, the occupant will be entitled for 50 per cent waiver of penalty — interest on arrears of damage.
‘Damage properties’ are residential units or shops, which are on government land, and were placed at the disposal of the erstwhile Delhi Improvement Trust (DIT) through the “Nazul Agreement” of March 1937. During the partition, the displaced people had settled down without authorisation on open spaces that belonged to the government in the late 1940s. The occupants were issued ‘damages slips’ and they paid ‘damages’ for using the government land.
In 1957, these lands were transferred to the DDA. The occupants are liable to pay Damage Charges to DDA under The Public premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act 1958, which is now Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act 1971. Such properties are located at Karol Bagh, Nabi Karim, Jhandewalan, Paharganj, Daryaganj, Arakpur Bagh Mochi, Aliganj, Sadar Bazar, and the Walled city area.
“All the assesses can fill up the details of their properties on the said such as date of payment of Damage Charges, area, date of transfer of occupancy rights, and superstructure occupied by them. They can also assess damage charges themselves through a calculator at the portal. There is a provision of 50 per cent waiver of penalty — interest on arrears of damage — if assessee makes the payment within a period of six months from the date of notification —July 11,” said the official.