Civic work to start in 32 illegal colonies

As the regularisation of 628 unauthorised colonies across Haryana is underway, the urban local bodies department has decided to start development work in 32 unregularised colonies in Gurgaon, before they are officially regularised on paper. According to the officials, the civic infrastructure to be provided to these colonies will include water, sewer, street lights, road network among others. PWD minister Rao Narbir Singh said, “The property owners in these colonies can register their houses by paying the development charges, following which they can obtain a no-objection certificate which is required for the regularisation of the colonies. However, the development work in these colonies will be started by the urban local bodies department despite the colonies still in the process of being regularised.” The government has formalised a new policy for the regularisation of illegal colonies, under which the external development charges will be collected at the rate of Rs 10 per sqmetre on covered areas. The annual fee will be collected as per 5% of the area collectorate charges. A policy has been formed under public-private-partnership mode by the government. Notably, 628 unauthorised colonies across Haryana were notified by the government in September this year under Haryana Civic Amenities and Infrastructure deficient Act-2016. Earlier, the area development charges for these colonies was fixed at Rs 1,250 per sq ft.