Regularisation policy misses target

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 30

The extension of the policy for regularisation of illegal colonies and plots to bring them into the planning framework has remained unsuccessful as the authorities under the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Local Government have received only a few applications for regularisation. Insiders say the housing department could give another extension to the policy.

After extending the policy four times already, the authorities concerned have not received enough applications for regularisation of colonies, reasons for which include repeated notifications, independence of plots and colonies for submission of applications for regularisation, use of sale deeds on unregistered stamp papers as document of proof-of-sale of plots and lack of action against offenders, among others. The last date for submitting applications for regularisation is June 30.

The Patiala Urban Planning and Development Authority has received only 78 applications for regularisation of 447 colonies identified in its areas during a recent survey. The officials have not approved or rejected a single application yet. Surabhi Malik, Chief Administrator, said the office was earlier focused on approval of plots only. “Earlier, we focused on plots but now, we are paying attention to colonies as well.”

Authorities at the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority have pegged the number of identified and unidentified residential and commercial illegal colonies at an astounding 2,500 but have received merely 279 applications for regularisation. The officials have approved two applications while the rest are under consideration. Estate Officer Sonam Chaudhary said, “We are persuading colonisers to apply and have also registered police cases where the colonies could not be regularised. We are hopeful the colonisers will apply by the last date.”

Similarly, the Municipal Corporation, Patiala, has received only 13 applications for regularisation of colonies but issued approval for only two. The Jalandhar Development Authority has received 94 applications but approved just one. CA Jatinder Jorwal said the rest were under process. The Municipal Corporation, Bathinda, has received only five applications. As per Pradeep Singh from the building branch, there are a number of open areas where small residential areas have been developed. “These can’t be identified as colonies but are developed illegally.” Vini Mahajan, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development, said the data was available with different authorities and she could not comment on the matter. “The information is not readily available yet,” she said.

Extended deadlines

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has extended the regularisation policy four times (in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019) after it was notified for the first time in 2013. The departments concerned received a total of 6,662 applications for regularisation of colonies since 2013 till the current policy was notified in October last year, of which only 2,565 were approved