Only 4 lakh registrations: Why Delhi’s unauthorised colonies lag behind

According to Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, who is also a non-official member of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the registration process was earlier rife with difficulties for the residents of unauthorised colonies. “Over the past few months, changes have been made and the process has been made easier for the people. We have seen a positive response to these changes,” Gupta said.

Gupta said residents can visit the DDA’s official website and carry out self-assessment on where they stand in terms of eligibility. “Only if the resident is eligible will they be able to go on to the next step, which is registration,” he said.

Houses falling in the Ridge area, forest land, protected or prohibited area under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, Yamuna flood plains, and Master Plan roads are particularly vulnerable to eviction and demolition by the authorities.

According to Gupta, many registrations have been rejected due to their ineligibility. He further said, “4 lakh registrations isn’t a small number. However we are optimistic that this number will grow in the next few months.”

So far, the Delhi government has identified 1,731 unauthorised colonies in the capital and conferred 20,881 deeds. Following the conferment of property rights, the residents can sell or purchase their properties without any hindrance, avail loans against their properties, and can get building plans approved if they want to change anything in the present building or construct structures in the vacant plot for which they have received property rights.