Rules to blacklist builders final: Centre to top court

NEWDELHI: Guidelines to blacklist builders, contractors and architects indulging in unauthorised construction have been finalised, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Additional solicitor general AS Nadkarni made the submission before a bench led by Justice MB Lokur while the latter was hearing a PIL related to sealing of unauthorised construction in Delhi.

The top court had on July 18 suggested such guidelines.

The ASG said once the guidelines were approved by the court, they would be made public. The court then asked senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, who is assisting the bench in the sealing case, to submit his response by September 7, the next date of hearing.

The court then asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) how many complaints it had received on the mobile application launched to enable citi-

zens to lodge online complaints against illegal constructions and encroachments.

It also enquired about digital mapping of the Capital to identify encroached areas.

Additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for DDA, said 1,748 complaints were received on the mobile application and appropriate action was being taken on them. Singh said he would place the data before the bench on the next hearing.

On digital mapping, Singh said deliberations with local bodies had begun and they had also contacted the National Informatics Centre and Indian Space Research Organisation regarding. At present, digital mapping would cover just Delhi. The bench then asked Singh to consider including other cities as well.

Kumar then requested the court to hear arguments on the amendments in Master Plan of , 2021. The court said it would take up the issue on September 7.

Nadkarni said an advisory had been sent to states to take precautionary measures against illegal constructions in their respective areas. On being asked whether the advisory was sent before the fire incident (in Mumbai’s Parel area), the ASG replied in affirmative.