Sheila announces regularization of 917 colonies

In a major decision which will provide relief to 40 lakh people in the city, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday announced regularising of over 900 unauthorised colonies, a key promise made by Congress ahead of assembly polls in 2008.

Dikshit, who had pushed hard to regularise the colonies after the electoral debacle of the Congress in municipal polls held in April, said her government made a "historical decision" to regularise 917 colonies out of 1,639 such settlements which were provided provisional regularisation certificates.

"The city government has been able to resolve the vexed issue of unauthorised colonies as we have decided to regularise them which will benefit 40 lakh residents. We have removed the sword of demolition hanging over the unauthorised colonies," she said addressing a press conference along with all six cabinet ministers and scores of party MLAs.

The notification to this effect is expected to be issued tomorrow, Dikshit said, adding that the file has been sent to Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna.

The announcement is seen as Dikshit's preparation for the assembly polls which are due in 15 months.

Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath had yesterday given a green signal to regularise unauthorised colonies when Dikshit met him to press for early approval for their regularisation of the settlements, considered traditional votebank of the Congress in the city of 1.67 crore.

"Our stand from the very beginning was crystal clear that not a single colony would be demolished. We are grateful that the Union Minister of Urban Development Kamal Nath has been kind enough to appreciate the difficulties of the residents of unauthorised colonies," Dikshit said.

The Delhi government had completed all the ground work for regularisation of the colonies.

It had issued provisional regularisation certificates to over 1,639 unauthorised colonies ahead of assembly polls in 2008. The then Dikshit government, while distributing the certificates, had promised to regularise the colonies if Congress came to power for the third term. However, not a single colony was regularised till now.

After the Congress' defeat in municipal polls in April, Dikshit had asked all concerned departments to expedite the regularisation process. The Chief Minister said the people of the unauthorised colonies are being provided relief taking inspiration from policies of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

"I was told that 612 colonies in the city were regularised by Indira Gandhi while Rajiv Gandhi had given power and water connections to around 400 such settlements.... We followed the example of Indiraji and Rajivji in providing the relief," Dikshit said.

Slamming BJP for accusing her of failing to regularise the colonies, Dikshit said the government was fulfilling the promise it made in 2008.

"We will not allow a single house to be demolished in the unauthorised colonies and people have constructed them putting all their hard-earned money," she said adding her government would now act swiftly in providing all civic amenities in the settlements on par with the developed colonies.

She also praised Dr. AK Walia for making this possible. ”I thank Dr.  Walia in particular who made this possible”. She also thanked the Union Minister Kamal Nath for his support in making it possible.

It was for the first time in her 14 year old rule that she had addressed media in presence of Congress MLAs.

With inputs from Agencies