NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will soon resume its ‘public hearing’ service through video conferencing to avoid person-to-person interaction and minimise footfall at its headquarters in view of the pandemic.
The agency’s head office in INA colony generally receives 600-700 visitors every day on public hearing days during which a person can discuss or register his grievance with the senior officials personally.
The DDA’s office had started functioning last week however it didn’t recommence the arrangement of public hearing. "We have proposed interaction with the applicants or complainants through video conferencing to give way to their physical appearance. Our IT department is geared up with a mechanism to implement the proposal," said an official aware of the development.
A person seeking an appointment with the senior official will need to register online and will receive a link for video call with a time slot on his mobile number. Meanwhile, the official will keep the solution or suggestion ready and inform the person through video call. However, if grievance remains unresolved or response of the official doesn’t satisfy the registrant, another appointment will be fixed.
The authority is also set to restart inspections of properties in unauthorised colonies for which it has received applications for regularisation under Pradhan Mantri - Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY) except in containment zones.An official, privy to the matter, said execution of authorization slip or conveyance deed of all mature cases would also begin shortly.
“The surveyors will contact the applicants in advance and visit the properties of the willing applicants only. The surveyors have been advised to strictly adhere to the social distancing norms and take other necessary precautions,” said the official.The land owing agency was appointed as nodal agency for granting the ownership rights to properties in 1,731 unauthorised colonies under PM-UDAY.
Calls to be monitored
The video interaction may be recorded for monitoring.“At first, we will use existing video call apps but the authority will develop its own app later,” said an official