NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday told the
Supreme Court that as a first measure against encroachments, unauthorised occupation of public streets, pavements, footpaths and roads will be removed with the help of authorities like
DDA,
NDMC,
MCD,
the Delhi government and police.
Taking the proposed plan on record, the court also asked the Centre and Delhi government not to politicise the issue of
sealing and demolition of illegal structures. “Tell your people to take the task very seriously. No politics be done on the issue. It is perhaps the last opportunity to clean the city.”
As per the action plan, no new street will be declared as a commercial street unless parking space is demarcated and the Centre assured the apex court, which has expressed concern over roads and pavements being encroached for parking cars, that any structure built on public spaces will be demolished forthwith.
After consultations with the authorities concerned, including officers from the Centre, Delhi government and civic authority, additional solicitor general A N S Nadkarni prepared a plan of action to curb the menace of illegal and unauthorised constructions and told a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that all unauthorised constructions and encroachment would soon be removed from public places.
Nadkarni informed the bench that Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has decided to constitute a 13-member special task force (STF) headed by its vice chairman to identify encroachment of government land and take effective steps to reclaim it. He said STF would be give wide powers to direct local bodies and police to provide appropriate infrastructure facilities to residents of Delhi and curb illegal construction.
The action plan was formulated after the SC expressed its anguish over the Centre not taking steps to curb illegal constructions. The court, in the last hearing, had told the Centre, “There is no road and pavements in the city as they are being encroached. What have you done to remove the encroachment. Green area and roads in most of colonies are being used for parking space. What are you doing to remove the encroachment.”
As per the action plan, no new street will be declared as commercial street unless parking space is shown first and if there is no parking space, the street will not be notified as commercial street.
“The proposed amendments in Master Plan 2021 have been recommended with a view to ensure that due regard is given to provision of parking space, fire services and other public utilities in areas where unregulated growth has taken place. The provisions of these facilities has been made mandatory before such constructions are regularised. It is also being ensured that on streets where parking spaces are not available, only pedestrian usage will be allowed,” the plan said.
