JOIN USSDMC, DDA on collision course over farmhouses
The decision of Delhi Development Authority to regularise the farmhouses on the outskirts of the city has put the development body and South Delhi Municipal Corporation at loggerheads.
With a revenue of around Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 crore involved in the process, both agencies want to administer the transfer of properties, which could rake in moolah in form of conversion charges.
The friction between two agencies commenced last week when DDA passed a proposal to snatch control over farmhouses — which are currently under the jurisdiction of municipal corporation — by initiating the process of regularising them.
Countering the move, South Corporation passed a resolution on Monday to ask DDA not to carry out transfer of farmhouses.
The corporation officials said if the DDA refuses to comply, the civic body will take up the matter before Lieutenant Governor.
“Till now, farmhouses have been governed by the rules and regulations of municipal corporation. Regularisation process has also been initiated by the corporation to legalise the illegal constructions. Now, the DDA wants to take them over,” said Rajesh Gehlot, chairman of standing committee.
He alleged that the decision of DDA is an attempt to encroach upon the powers of civic body.
“The DDA has passed a proposal that the area would be considered as DDA development area which means it will be governed by DDA’s bye laws,” he added.
According to the proposal passed by the DDA, farmhouse owners will have to pay a conversion fee in order to regularise the extra constructions carried out over these years. The fee is quite high and will bring in a lot of revenue.
South Corporation is opposed to the move as more than 3,200 of 4,500 farmhouses in Delhi fall under its jurisdiction.
In the South Corporation, 2,500 farmhouses fall in South Zone area such as Sainik Farms and 700 in Najafgarh zone.
South Corporation was expecting a revenue of over Rs 600 crore from regularisation of these farmhouses, and had even shown in the revenue target of next financial year.