Bill to protect of Delhi slums from punitive action tabled in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: A bill to provide three-year extension to a law that protects slums and some unauthorised constructions in the national capital region from punitive action till a framework for orderly arrangements are in place, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri introduced the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

The bill, which was approved by the Cabinet last week, provides for extending the provisions of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011 for three years from January 1, 2018.

According to the bill's Statement of Objects and Reasons, it aims to extend the validity of the Act to continue the protection to certain forms of unauthorised developments in the National Capital Territory of Delhi from punitive action for a "limited period", till December 31, 2020.

Further, the bill seeks to allow time to the "government, urban local bodies and other organisations involved to take a balanced and well considered view on policies, norms and strategies for orderly implementation of plans regarding these unauthorised development," it said.

Under the Act, orderly arrangements had to be made for relocation and rehabilitation of "slum dwellers and Jhuggi- Jhompri clusters", regulation of unauthorised colonies, village abadi area and their extensions, and regularisation of urban street vendors, among other things.

The extension of the Act beyond December 31 this year has been necessitated because the norms to deal with the problem of encroachment and unauthorised developments are yet to be finalised by various entities concerned, including the Delhi government, an official had said last week.

As per the statement, the NCT of Delhi has been growing phenomenally over the last many years putting a heavy strain on its infrastructure and resource. This in turn is leading to an ever-increasing demand for housing, commercial space and civic amenities, it added.