June 2014 cutoff date for illegal colonies

NEW DELHI: In a move intended to boost BJP's prospects in Delhi polls, the Centre on Tuesday revised the cutoff date for all unauthorized colonies and slums from 2007 to June 2014 to provide them immunity from demolition and sealing. Now all such unauthorized colonies will be eligible for regularization.

Given the political calculations at work, the move is unlikely to face any challenge in Rajya Sabha.

While passing the extension of National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Amendment Bill 2014 for three years, the Lok Sabha adopted June 2014 as the cut-off date for unauthorized colonies that are at the centre of competing political claims of BJP, AAP and Congress.

These segments have been seen as weak spots for BJP and the Delhi state unit had recently demanded that the cut-off date be revised to 2014. BJP had to face some flak for demolition of slums on forest land with Congress and AAP jumping into the fray on behalf of the dwellers.

Urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu told the House his government will try to regularize the 1,200 plus colonies and would see that the Bill to extend this immunity does not come to Parliament again.

"Can you remove people who have settled after 2007 and who have been living in that place by 2014? I want to move an amendment also. Seven of the Delhi members have given a notice for moving amendment for extending the cut-off date from February or March of 2007 to end of 2014, but I am willing to go by the collective wisdom of the members of the House and I want it to be extended by 1st June 2014," Naidu said.

The move is seen as part of pre-election maneuvres as BJP seeks to neutralise AAP's perceived advantage in slums and illegal colonies.

Besides protecting unauthorised colonies, the bill seeks to protect street vendors, villages located in the municipal limits, their extension and existing farmhouses from punitive action. BJP has posted good returns in urban villages in the previous assembly and Lok Sabha elections.

Initiating the debate, Outer Delhi MP Parvesh Verma said while over 60 lakh people live in unauthorised colonies, another 20 lakh live in slums. He said the government must extend the cut-off date, which was supported by all other Delhi MPs including Udit Raj, Meenakshi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri and Mahesh Girri.