All You Need To Know About Law That Protects Delhi's Unauthorised Colonies, Slums

After Parliament passed a bill to protect slums and unauthorised colonies in the national capital region from stringent action till a framework for orderly arrangements is in place, President Ram Nath Kovind also gave his approval. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, that was passed in both the houses, has been applicable from Jan 1, 2018, and will be giving immunity to slums and some unauthorised constructions till December 31, 2020.

Here's all you need to know about the Bill.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill provides for the following:

*Relocation of slum dwellers and Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters according to the provisions of the Delhi Shelter Improvement Board Act, 2010 and the Master Plan for Delhi, 2021;

*Regulation of street vendors in accordance with the policy for street vendors outlined in the Master Plan for Delhi, 2021;

*Regularising unauthorised colonies, village abadi areas (and their extensions):

*Creating a policy for farmhouses constructed beyond permissible limits, and

*Creating a policy or plan for all other areas of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in keeping with the Master Plan for Delhi, 2021.

The recent amendment has deleted street vendor feature as the central government passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 in February 2014.

No action on illegal colonies

The Act says that no action will be taken by any local authority till December 31, 2020 with respect to:

*Encroachment or unauthorised development as of January 1, 2006,

*Unauthorised colonies, village abadi areas that existed on March 31, 2002, and

*Construction in other areas that took place up till February 8, 2007.

High Court nabs civic authorities on illegal construction

On one hand, while Parliament has given nod to the special act for protecting illegal colonies without defining a proper framework, on the other, the Delhi High Court is pulling up civic authorities for their ignorant attitude on unauthorised construction. Replying to a discussion on the Bill, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said the Bill was necessitated as the Delhi government has said it needs two more years to complete the formalities for the regulation of unauthorised colonies while the Delhi High Court has said a large number of public-interest litigations (PILs) before it alleging unauthorised construction in the national capital, which is later found to be true, show "gross negligence" of municipal bodies in discharging their duties. Henceforth, the authorities have been ordered to carry out a survey of illegal constructions in the city under it and take action against them in accordance with the law.