Delhiites can get properties booked for action ‘regularised’ as MCD House clears AAP’s proposal; Check steps here

Delhiites will now be able to get their properties that have been booked for action "regularised" following the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House's clearance of the proposal on booked properties on Monday, February 26. 

Addressing a press conference, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said the move will help check corruption. In Delhi, properties often get booked by the MCD for action whenever there is renovation or alteration in any property, or a new building is constructed.

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The mayor said that the properties can be regularised by getting building sanction plans passed and “illegal constructions removed.” According to Oberoi, lakhs of people will benefit from this decision and "corruption in installing electricity meters" at such properties will be stopped.

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What is ‘booked for action’?

As per an official letter, "booking" refers to a property getting "booked for action" and, if an alteration or addition to an existing building is found violative of the approved building plan, the "illegal part" is marked for demolition.

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Opposition party's reaction

Opposition leaders were outraged by the Aam Admi Party's (AAP) move as the decision comes in the wake of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raja Iqbal Singh said the AAP “is opening new avenues” of corruption by bringing the Delhi Jal Board and the Power department together with the MCD. At a press conference after the proceedings were adjourned, he said their (AAP) decision would only “promote corruption.”

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Furthermore, he stated that the AAP-led MCD should crack down on the building department to prevent illegal construction, and alleged that the party has instead started finding "new dimensions of corruption", reported PTI.

Process to get properties "regularised"

According to a statement issued by the mayor's office, "People will be able to get their booked property regularised by getting the building sanction plan passed and illegal constructions removed. Lakhs of people will benefit from this decision. Corruption in installing electricity meters on (such) properties, and (any) illegal construction will be stopped. The officers will have to do this work of the people with transparency and within the stipulated time limit." 

If extra floors have been constructed at a property whose building plan has previously been cleared, owners of such properties will be able to get them regularised. This could be done by either removing illegal constructions or by getting the building plan approved again to keep it in compliance with the building plan in the area.

The mayor informed that such regularisation would require authorities' sanction. 

"The assessing officer and the Building department will be accountable to each other and will have to reply to each other within 15 days,” PTI quoted Oberoi as saying.

The statement further mentioned that the zonal deputy commissioner and the superintendent engineer would “ensure that if there is any change in any building, the same will have to be informed to the Electricity department and the Delhi Jal Board,” under Section 491 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act.