NEW DELHI: Concerned over illegal construction and encroachment on government land in the national capital, the Housing and Urban Affairs ministry has constituted a 15-member special task force (STF) to ensure enforcement of building rules and Master Plan for Delhi-2021.
The objective of the STF includes identifying encroachments on government land in Delhi and to reclaim them, monitor action taken by the local bodies with respect to unauthorised construction and oversee compliance of fire safety measures and disaster management requirements, particularly, in schools, colleges and hospitals.
The STF, to be headed by the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), will have the chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the commissioners of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation, among others, as its members.
Other members of the STF include the CEO of Delhi Jal Board, the special commissioners (law and order and traffic) of Delhi Police, the chief fire officer of Delhi government and representative of central ground water board.
“It has been noticed that there are some violations of building bye-laws and provisions of Master Plan for Delhi -2021 relating to, inter-alia, construction activities and land use in Delhi.
“Besides, the problem of illegal constructions and encroachments on public land, parking spaces, roads, pavements have also come to notice,” the HUA ministry said in an office memorandum recently.
The memorandum said it seemed there is lack of coordination among various agencies and timely and effective action by such authorities entrusted with the task of ensuring compliance with the provisions of the applicable rules and regulations.
“…A special task force to comprehensively address the issue and to oversee the enforcement of provision of MPD-2021 and the unified building bye-laws for Delhi is hereby constituted,” said the memorandum.
The STF would also identify traffic congestion areas in the national capital and suggest measures for the decongestion.
It will meet at least once every month and its report will be sent to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and HUA ministry, the memorandum said.
The HUA secretary will hold quarterly review meetings on the progress achieved on STF direction and for reviewing the plans for future, the memorandum said.
Source: Press Trust of India