DDA approves policy of buying of private land through negotiations

NEW DELHI: DDA has approved the policy of purchase of private land through negotiations, in view of the New Land Acquisition Act under which the buying has become "cumbersome and time consuming", the urban body today said.

As many infrastructure and housing related projects have been "held up" because DDA was not able to acquire land, the DDA said in a statement.

The Authority took the decision to approve the policy also keeping in view that land acquisition under the New Land Acquisition Act has become cumbersome and time consuming, the statement said.

The policy for purchase of private land has been formulated on the pattern of DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation), it said.

There will be two-tiered committees for negotiation at the DDA, which shall be set up precisely for this purpose. It shall consist of senior DDA officials, including its vice-chairman.

In the Authority meeting chaired by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, a policy for 'chulha tax' payers was also approved.

As per the policy, five villages namely Majhi Rajpur, Todapur, Dasdhara, Jhilmil Tahirpur and Aragpur Bagmochi can be considered for grant of freehold rights in principle.

Nearly 5,000 families are residing in these villages. They were paying chulha tax since pre-independence days.

The charges to be levied to these chulha tax payers for regularisation was also discussed and it was felt that since these occupants are occupying the land for very long period and thus the rates charged from them should not be in any way more than the rates approved for the unauthorised colonies occupants, it said.