The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has approached the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and the Delhi government, requesting policy reforms to make the Swagam regularisation scheme more appealing to residents of unauthorised colonies. This move comes after a tepid response to the initiative.
Portal Launch and Response
The portal was launched by MCD on April 24 to help residents of unauthorised colonies regularise their properties, even if they lack an approved layout plan. It grants regularisation rights to residents in 1,511 identified colonies, provided they apply after obtaining an authorisation slip through the Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY). Despite nearly 40,000 people visiting the website, only 45 eligible applications have been received so far, officials said.
Challenges Faced by Applicants
Several applicants who do not have PM-UDAY authorisation slips are redirected to the Delhi government’s site. If existing construction exceeds permitted Floor Area Ratio (FAR) limits, penal FAR charges equivalent to three times the normal additional FAR charges will be levied. MCD has suggested making this a one-time charge.
Financial Burden: A major deterrent in obtaining ownership rights is the financial burden associated with it. The fee will be in lakhs (around Rs 3-4 lakh), and as a result, many property owners are reluctant to come forward for secure regularisation documents through the scheme, an official explained.
No Deadline: Another factor is the absence of any deadline for registration. Whether someone applies after six months or seven months, there is no difference because no cut-off date has been prescribed. There is virtually no incentive to apply immediately and no penalty for delay. One can get a bank loan after regularisation with no fear of demolition, but we must understand that these are unplanned areas where no property is regularised and people are managing sale or purchase with GPA etc., an official said.
Fee Structure
Applicants are required to pay Rs 20 plus GST for resident registration, Rs 75 plus GST for filing the application form, and Rs 100 per document plus GST for preparation and notarisation of documents.
Policy Recommendations
MCD officials said that since the Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2016, fall under the jurisdiction of the DDA, it can introduce amendments or policy changes to encourage registration. The corporation has suggested making penal FAR charges a one-time fee to reduce the financial burden and possibly setting a deadline to create urgency.
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