Panel set up to decide development charges

The Congress had won the 2008 Assembly elections largely based on the promise of regularising unauthorised colonies in the Capital. Almost three years after the process began,not a single colony has been regularised.

Sources said the Cabinet has not taken a decision on the proposal prepared by the Urban Development department as it sought to levy “very hefty charges” on each households for the land cost as well as providing basic facilities.

Sources said the Cabinet has decided to set up the committee to “delay” the announcement of levying the charges as it may draw sharp criticism from the occupants of unauthorised colonies,especially at a time when people are already reeling under the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

The development charge has been proposed to recover the cost of providing various basic amenities like water,power,roads and sewer lines in the colonies which have applied for regularisation.

The Delhi government had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,200 unauthorised colonies in 2008,just before the Assembly elections. After scrutinising all applications for regularisation,the government forwarded 1,639 applications to the MCD,DDA,ASI,Forest department and the Revenue department for scrutiny and verification. The government has already spent Rs 2,800 crore in providing basic services in these colonies.

Dikshit,chairing a meeting to review the developmental work in these colonies last week,had said the process to regularise them should be completed as soon as possible. Officials said 733 colonies have got no objection certificates from all concerned agencies.