Amendments to be notified after getting public suggestion: Puri
NEW DELHI: On Delhi master plan amendments, the Supreme Court has asked DDA to put notification for public suggestions and DDA has published them, thereafter the amendments would be notified, asserted Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday on the ongoing sealing issue. He has also discussed how the Special Task Force of the DDA is becoming equipped for the anti-encroachment drive.
“Special Task Force (STF) will have a website and apps through which public can report illegal construction and encroachment,” said Puri.
The Minister added that the DDA formed the STF on April 25 to demolish the encroachments around Delhi. At least 4,411 structures, both temporary and permanent, were demolished by authorities in various parts of the national Capital in the last one month as part of an anti-encroachment drive, said an official. The actions were taken based on the recommendations of an STF, which has DDA vice-chairman, secretary to LG, and Commissioners of the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDS), among others as members.
A maximum of 3,354 structures was demolished or removed in east zone, 476 in the south zone, 237 in the north zone between April 27 and May 29, the DDA said in a statement, adding 344 structures were also demolished in areas falling under the New Delhi Municipal Council. Roads spanning 296 km were also cleared of encroachment during the drive. Land measuring 1.66 lakh sqm was also reclaimed during the drive, it said.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, in a statement, said in the last 30 days, it has cleared 47,961 sqm area of encroachment which was of permanent nature. Also, 1,100 vehicles were impounded and 4,909 miscellaneous items were seized during the drive, it said.
Meanwhile, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation said, as part of the drive on the recommendations of the STF, 37 vehicles and 50 rickshaws were seized on Friday and 32 vehicles were fined. “The South Zone collected fine amounting to Rs 1.12 lakh,” the SDMC said.
Earlier, as DDA placed its status report on its antiencroachment drive backed with photographs, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta of the Supreme Court slammed the agency for amending Delhi Master Plan 2021 in a hurry without giving citizens full opportunity to file objections. Significantly, the bench asked DDA to be ready with an alternative plan in case the court negated the law providing immunity to illegal structures and amendments to the Master Plan-2021.
“You have to be realistic and practical and you must prepare a plan on what to do when the amendment is struck down. There is a possibility of it and you must have a plan B,” it said. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh said the authority was not sparing any illegal construction and the ones mentioned by the court would be demolished soon. He said anti-encroachment drive could not be initiated across the city at one go and it would be done in phases.