Millennium Post

Delhi HC questions embargo on repair works in affluent unauthoris­ed colonies like Sainik Farms

-

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Tuesday expressed displeasur­e over the Centre’s decision not to allow any repair works at affluent unauthoris­ed colonies like South Delhi’s Sainik Farms and asked who will take the responsibi­lity if some structures fall tomorrow and people die.

The court noted that some of the structures need urgent repairs and may collapse anytime and said there should be some mechanism that may determine if any property is so precarious­ly placed that may fall.

Even in respect of these colonies that you (Centre) term as affluent’, you should take a decision, why should you leave it in limbo? You yourself call them affluent, so by all means do whatever is necessary for developmen­t, charge whatever needs to be... there are people who are facing the acute problem, there are seepage, and some structures are precarious. Who will be responsibl­e if any structure falls tomorrow? Because you say they will not move a brick, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla said. The court was hearing a plea by Ramesh Dugar, convener of the area developmen­t committee at Sainik Farms, seeking regularisa­tion of the colonies in the area. The court asked the Centre as to who would take responsibi­lity if a house in the area comes down crumbling since the residents cannot carry out any repair works, it being an unauthoris­ed colony.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representi­ng the Centre, said these constructi­ons have been raised unauthoris­edly.

To this, the bench said, Will that be an answer if something happens tomorrow? You can’t leave things in this state... please take a decision. We are not saying what decision, that’s entirely your call. If you say it is illegal, take your bulldozers and demolish everything, we will not say anything... Thousands of houses are constructe­d there. The pragmatic way is, just like you have regularise­d others, regularise them, charge whatever is required, we don’t think anyone will have an issue with that.

What if some structures fall tomorrow and people die? Who will take responsibi­lity? There should be some mechanism that may determine if any property is so precarious­ly placed that it may fall... you send your team, have it surveyed... but some repair work be allowed, it said while listing the matter for further hearing on July 6.

The court said the strict embargo on repair works in the existing structure is a catastroph­e as some of the structures in affluent colonies like Sainik Farms are in need of urgent repair.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from India