Enough is not enough, developers want more

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, February 10

Even though four-month window provided by the Punjab Government as a one-time measure to developers to get their illegal/unlicensed colonies regularised under the new policy is about to close (on February 17, 2019), most developers, it seems, are not happy with the policy notified for this purpose on October 18, 2018. They still want more simplification and relaxations in the policy and attribute lukewarm response of developers (to the new policy) to procedural wrangles and cumbersome documentation.

In a memorandum submitted to the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, the Punjab Colonisers and Property Dealers Association has pointed out that due to unnecessary documentation, many developers were wary of coming forward for regularisation of colonies and property owners were also not very keen to avail of the policy benefits.

Kultar Singh Jogi, president, and GS Lamba, general secretary of the association, said for compounding of plots and properties, four sets of documents were being demanded while the developers had to submit eight sets of documents at the time of submission of application which could be done away with.

“A single set of documents for plots and properties should be enough as scanned copies could be sent to different branches for further action. Similarly, a single set of file from developers be taken and after verification by competent person, more sets be got prepared which would lead to speedy processing of applications,” said the memorandum.

The developers’ body further wanted that in cases of colonies where applications were pending/rejected under previous policies, options be taken from the developers about which policy do they want to go for as in most cases developers had already deposited the licence fee, development and CLU charges. For registration of sale deeds of plots and properties, receipt of full payment be considered as NOC because registration of sale deeds has been suspended for quite some time in the state.

The government has been urged to issue directions that buildings constructed in colonies developed before the cut-off date (March 2018) but sold thereafter be considered eligible for compounding. The developers assert that software for acceptance of applications from developers not being very reliable, applications be accepted in both online and in physical form. The licence fee and other charges should also be accepted in cash because many of the applicants were not very computer-literate.

Making a strong demand for extension of the policy for another four months, the association has asked the government to bring development charges for colonies located within and outside the city limits at par, hold camps for filling out applications for regularisation, waive interest of applications submitted under previous policies and constitute a state property board to bridge the gap between the stake holders and the regulatory bodies.