The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed further auction and diversion of plots in Rohini allotted in 1981 by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for Rohini Residential Scheme. A Division Bench led by Chief Justice A P Shah asked the DDA to furnish details of the total land acquired and its utilisation,including details of the land under encroachment. The court also ordered the Urban Development ministry to inform the court about their stand and provisions of the Masterplan 2021 to make provisions for allotments. Pulling up the DDA for not allotting the plots to 25,000 people 25 years after the scheme was announced,the High Court had earlier asked the DDA to explain why the agency had deprived so many people from their rightful ownership and why the registrants needed to pay a higher price for their plots. The DDA,in its affidavit before the court,had said the delay in allotment was due to the non-availability of the anticipated number of plots for reasons beyond its control. It also said plots could be made available to only 16,000 registrants. The approval of the competent authority is required since as per the Masterplan 2021,only 8 per cent of area in a residential pocket can be earmarked for development, the DDA said. The court was hearing a plea by Rahul Gupta,who had applied for a plot under the scheme. Around 84,000 registrants applied for plots under MIG (middle income group),LIG (lower income group) and Janta categories. Till 1989,the DDA had allotted the plots through computerised draws and assigned a waiting priority number to the remaining registrants, Gupta said in his petition. Thereafter,the DDA kept delaying the process on one pretext or other,saying allotments would be made provided sufficient land and infrastructure services are made available by concerned agencies like the Delhi administration and Municipal Corporation of Delhi, he said.
