Illegal, Unchecked, And Unstopped: Delhi's Unrelenting Construction Boom Exposed, Authorities Scramble To Enforce Regulations

A monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court, consisting of three members, discovered a number of master-plan and building by-law violations in guest houses, farmhouses, and commercial establishments in south and southwest Delhi.

The committee instructed civic agencies to handle the violators by October 8 and submit a compliance report. The inspections included, among other nearby locations, areas along National Highway 48, Mahipalpur, Dwarka, Vasant Kunj, and Rajokri.

According to the inspection report dated September 24, which HT was able to get, "The monitoring committee observed that large-scale commercial activity is occurring along the Mahipalpur-Vasant Kunj bypass road in violation of MPD- 2021 and that the construction appears to be unauthorised." The aforementioned route is a non-notified road, meaning that commercial activity is not allowed.

Along the Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg, up to the traffic crossroads with NH-48, the committee discovered guest homes functioning in the village of Mahipalpur's bylanes and encroaching on pavement. Within the report, the committee stated that the Deputy Commissioner of the Najafgarh Zone has been instructed to survey the whole Mahipalpur region in order to find those who are abusing the system and take appropriate action.

During the second phase of the inspection, the panel discovered that party
venues were being built along NH-48 in an unlawful manner and that, in certain cases, the building was continuing in spite of notices from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). It was startling to observe that construction was still proceeding as usual despite the warning being given. Along the whole length of the NH-48, more building and abuse activities were discovered.

The report stated, citing particular building incidents, "Many sheds along the NH-48 are carrying out activities related to the sale of furniture and other permanent pandals were found erected."

The Dwarka Expressway's farmhouses and properties where pandals were
erected were also observed by the monitoring committee. The panel observed that godowns and warehouses appeared everywhere around the edges of Bamnoli hamlet. The report stated, "Additional warehouses were observed to be under construction, and Dhulsiras, Samalkha, Kapashera, and Nangli village have all reported similar activity."

According to an MCD official, the tax department has been ordered to survey these communities since commercial operations, warehouses, and similar operations are not allowed on agricultural land. The investigation also scrutinized commercial operations conducted out of residential buildings in Dwarka sectors 7, 12, 17, and 18.

"Many wedding points, party halls, and banquet halls were found in Sector 7
during the inspection,"  the report stated, recommending action to be taken following a 48-hour warning period.

The Supreme Court established the three-person committee in 2006 with the goal of locating unauthorized constructions in Delhi. Resurrected in December 2017, the committee included retired Major General S.P Jhingon (retired), former Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) chairman Bhure Lal, and former advisor to the Election Commission of India K.J Rao. The committee oversaw significant sealing drives in Defence Colony, Sunder Nagar, Amar Colony, and Lajpat Nagar, among other notable localities.

The monitoring committee's scope was limited on August 14, 2020, when the
Supreme Court decided that it could only take action against commercial
premises and not residential ones.

Author:
Aarya Kadam (News Writer) is a final-year BBA student and a creative writer with a passion for current affairs and legal Judgments.