A line that ceases to exist

More than 50 per cent of the construction in villages is outside the lal dora and the number of violations has increased over the years.

Though the law debars construction outside the red line wherever agricultural land exists,there is haphazard construction with narrow lanes dotting the area. From houses to commercial establishments and guesthouses,all kinds of buildings have come up outside this imaginary boundary. In some villages,illegal ‘sweet factories’ are mushrooming where sweets are made in bulk during the festive season under unhygienic conditions.

But villagers and city planners have varied points of view.

The inhabitants of these villages rue that despite being the owners of land they cannot carry out construction legally,while planners express concern at the unchecked growth. The issue is highlighted by every political party for the sake of votebank politics but no consensus has been reached as yet.

Shingara Singh,a resident of Daria village,said 90 per cent of construction in his village was outside the lal dora. “The size of families is increasing. Our business interests also cannot be taken care of inside the lal dora. The youths are not getting employment. Either the Administration should ban migrants from settling in our villages or let us expand our business interests. All facilities cannot be provided within these limits,” he rued.

Similar views are echoed by Angrez Singh,Chairman of Pind Bachao Committee and a resident of Badheri village. He said with the changing times,there was a need to alter laws keeping in mind the interest of villagers. “The lal dora was defined when the city came into existence. Owing to archaic policies of the government,no development has taken place in our area,” he said.

The first Indian Chief Architect of the city,M N Sharma,said,“The Administration took no action when the violations were taking place. Multi-storey buildings have come up in areas where no construction was allowed. There is no regulation or control. The Administration should prepare a comprehensive plan for modernising villages.”

The condition of 10 villages that come under the Municipal Corporation is no different. The UT Administration had earlier stated that once villages come under the MC,the lal dora would cease to exist as the village would come under the municipal limits. However,the decision was recently revoked.