Housing federation protest outside DDA headquarter over land pooling policy

A federation of housing societies held a demonstration outside the DDA headquarters here today, seeking implementation of the urban body's land pooling policy at the earliest.

The Federation of Housing Societies and Developers in Delhi have alleged that the DDA has brought in "arbitrary changes" in the policy under the Delhi Master Plan 2021.

Members of the federation, held a dharna outside the Vikas Sadan (DDA hq), and sought "immediate rollback" of the modifications in the proposed land pooling policy and implementation of earlier approved policy, the federation said in a statement.

The federation later also held a press conference, and claimed that it had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking its implementation.

Last December, the Delhi Development Authority's highest decision-making body had approved simplification of the land pooling policy in the national capital and the DDA's role as being a "facilitator, regulator and planner only".

This effectively meant the transfer of pooled land to the DDA will not be required.

Originally, the land pooled under the policy was to be transferred to the DDA, which would act as the developer entity and undertake further sectoral planning and development of infrastructure on the land pooled.

In a statement today, the DDA reiterated: "The land pooling policy which was notified by the Ministry of Urban Development on September 5, 2013, and thereafter, the regulation for operationalisation of the policy was proposed on May 26, 2015." Satish Aggarwal, Secretary, the Federation of Housing Societies & Developers in Delhi (Land Pooling), alleged: "But now DDA has arbitrarily proposed a modified policy which will have drastic consequences as it will make getting homes out of reach of common man." Incidentally, the DDA yesterday said, public suggestions and objections on the land pooling policy will be put before the authority's Board of Enquiry and Hearing from July 2-3.

Certain issues pending with the Delhi government, such as, notification of 89 villages under the DMC Act, 1957, and declaration of 95 villages as development area of the DDA under Section 12 of Delhi Development Act, 1957, were resolved in May and June last year respectively, the urban body said.

The DDA has been working on various aspects of the regulations to simplify the implementation or execution of the land pooling policy. Vice Chairman of the DDA has also had discussions with various stakeholders, including farmers, who have been pressing for a long time to implement the policy, it added.

(This article has not been edited by Zeebiz editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)