Land pooling policy made easier in Delhi

Land pooling policy in Delhi has now been simplified. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has simplified the land pooling process for building housing for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). The DDA will now act as a facilitator and planner as against the role initially envisaged for it as part of simplification of execution of the land pooling policy, a government release said. The decision was taken in a meeting between Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, who is also the Chairman of DDA. Durga Shanker Mishra, secretary at the ministry and vice-chairman of DDA, also attended the meeting. Under the land pooling policy, 60% of pooled land would be returned to landowners after infrastructure development, if the pooled land is 20 hectares and above and 48%, if land pooled, is between 2 and 20 hectares. Of the 60% of returned land, 53% will be for residential purposes, 5% for city level commercial use and 2% for public and semi-public use. In the other case, the same would be 43%, 3% and 2%, respectively. Affordable houses for economically weaker sections to be built under the policy shall be of 32-40 sq m. Half of this housing stock shall be retained by the DE to house community service people working for the residents/ owners of the group housing. These houses will be built at the site or on premises contiguous to the site allotted. The other half shall be sold to DDA at the base cost of `2,000 per square feet for further sale to beneficiaries. Originally, land pooled under the policy was to be transferred to DDA which was to act as the developer entity (DE) and undertake further sectoral planning and development of infrastructure. It has now been decided to do away with this requirement and land title continues to be with the original land owners, the release said. About 22,000 hectares of land is expected to be pooled which could meet the needs of about 95 lakh people, the release said.