40 lakh people stay in unauthorised colonies in Delhi. (Express Archive)

They house at least 40 lakh people in the city, but for the first time on Wednesday, representatives from unauthorised colonies were consulted about the city’s development and design. In an online exercise, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Wednesday reached out to RWAs of unauthorised colonies to seek their opinion in the formation of Master Plan for Delhi, 2041.

There are close to 1,700 such colonies in the city and an estimated 40 lakh out of Delhi’s two crore people live here.

After the Union Cabinet had given ownership rights to unauthorised colonies in Delhi last year, DDA’s exercise is also seen in the light of giving fresh impetus to opening roads for redevelopment in the area.

Leenu Sehgal, Commissioner of the Planning Department, DDA, said that most of the residents complained of basic civic issues. “One thing that has come out is that people said that they were ready to pay user charges if given facilities,” she said.

Saurav Gandhi, general secretary of the United Residents of Delhi, said, “Many people said that emergency vehicles like ambulances cannot enter their areas… They need to give more floor area ratio to people so that even if they lose some land, they are allowed to build vertically.”

A senior DDA official said that an important takeaway from the meetings is that planning has to move towards redevelopment and vertical growth of the city without compromising on the seismic stability of the structures.

A common concern was regarding vulnerability related to disasters, like fire and earthquakes, said a senior DDA official.

President of Federation of East Delhi RWAs, B S Vohra, however said that waiting for the new MPD was not logical.

“We want a plan that ensures no open garbage disposal, no garbage mountains, no encroachment and no traffic jams by 2041. I didn’t see the discussions going this way,” he said.