The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was introduced in parliament, seeking to provide an extension of the validity of the provision for three more years from the first of the next month to protect unauthorised developments from any action in the city.

By that time, the government will come out with Delhi master plan which is expected to give a roadmap for arrangements of jhuggies, unauthorised colonies, farmhouses, village population areas and other existing land policy and regulation infirmities.

The issue

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The phenomenal growth of the Delhi over the last many years has led to increase in demand for housing, commercial space and other civic amenities. The gap in the demand and supply has resulted in the problems of encroachment on public land, growth of slums, unauthorised constructions, etc.

To regulate it, National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011, was enacted for orderly arrangement of unauthorised development in the city in consonance with the master plan, the government said in the statement of objects and reasons.

To ensure that other legislative and regulatory backing that existed did not lapse taking a toll on the residents of these areas, the amendment to the bill on special arrangements in Delhi was brought.

The government also informed the Lower House that the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Act, 2019, has been enacted and the regulations to enforce it was notified on October 29, 2019, to confer ownership rights to the residents of unauthorised colonies.

Master plan

At the same time, the legislation stated the “Development Control Norms for these unauthorised colonies too were notified on March 8, 2022. The Master Plan for Delhi with the perspective year 2041 is under finalisation wherein the measures for unauthorised developments like Jhuggi-Jhompri clusters, unauthorised colonies, etc., are being included”.

Giving another reason for the need to bring amendment, the Bill stated that the process of dealing with these unauthorised developments will take more time. “Therefore, there is a need for continuing the protection from punitive action granted to certain forms of unauthorised developments in the National Capital Territory of Delhi,” it pointed out.

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