A win-win situation for MC, residents

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 21

Residents and civic bodies will get benefits from the regularisation of illegal colonies as per the new policy approved by the state Cabinet. With the government giving its nod to the regularisation of illegal colonies, a large number of localities in the city will come under the one-time settlement scheme.

The Amritsar Development Authority and Municipal Corporation will get a chance to generate revenue from development charges and regularisation fee.

The state government’s move to frame a policy on regularising unauthorised colonies, constructed before March 19, will apparently be a win-win situation for civic bodies and residents of these colonies.

However, residents of the unauthorised colonies are of the view that the government must ensure that they get basic civic amenities, including roads, sewerage and streetlights, in these localities.

Officially, there are over 325 illegal colonies in the city, while the unofficial figure is much higher.

Unauthorised colonies were plagued with problems like lack of sewerage system, potable water, proper roads and private and government transport.

A majority of the illegal colonies, which have been developed along and around the bypasses of the city, has become nothing but black spots on the urbanised development programme.

Scores of these colonies are present in the city. These could be spotted easily on from the Circular road to the Jandiala bypass on the Amritsar-Jalandhar road, Verka bypass, Fatehgarh and other parts of the city.

Experts believe that the nuclear family set-up and skyrocketing prices of land in the authorised locations had forced the residents to take the “chance” of buying a house in this unorganised set-up, little realising that lack of basic amenities were essential to lead a peaceful and harmonious life.

Deepti Uppal, Chief Administrator, Amritsar Development Authority, said, “Let the things be clear on the policy. Thereafter, the ADA will move accordingly.”

One-time settlement scheme of govt

• With the government giving its nod to the regularisation of illegal colonies, a large number of localities in the city will come under the one-time settlement scheme. 
• The Amritsar Development Authority and Municipal Corporation will get a chance to generate revenue from development charges and regularisation fee.
• The state government’s move to frame a policy on regularising unauthorised colonies, constructed before March 19, will benefit the residents as well.