Amid deadline confusion, 3,500 apply for relief

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 29

Amidst utter confusion over the extension of the last date for applying for regularizing unauthorized constructions in the state, only about 3,500 persons have so far applied for getting relief under the one time settlement policy being offered by the state government.

With today being the last date for applying for regularising of buildings built in violation of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) norms, the pace of inline filing of applications was about 300 per hour in the afternoon and this is likely to pick up further as the deadline for applying is till 11.59 pm, just before the clock strikes midnight today. Interestingly, most people had major problem accessing the site of the TCP Department with the number of hits hovering at 800 per minute. The officials said that the main reason for the last-minute applications was because it was being expected that the last date would be extended today.

Even though Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh yesterday said the deadline would be extended to facilitate people to apply but there was no such confirmation from the officials of the TCP Department. They pointed out that the department was not competent to extend the deadline since an Ordinance had already been promulgated.

“Any decision on granting more time to people to apply or reduction in the compounding rates for regularizing the encroachment would be taken only once the Bill is tabled in the Assembly and is taken up for discussion,” said officials.

Sandeep Kumar, Director (TCP), however said the total number of online applications received by the department till 7.30 p.m today was 3,306, which excludes the hard copies submitted in various urban local bodies.

“The highest number of applications (1,646) have been received by Shimla Municipal Corporation where there are maximum violations,” he said. He added that the maximum number of unauthorised structures are located in Shimla, Manali and Solan.

Even though the number of unauthorised constructions in the state run into thousands not too many people have applied for it so far. Since the demand for more relaxations and reduction in the charges for regularizing is being made, there is a high probability that the government might accede to their demand eventually.

There has been utter confusion over the amendments to be made in the TCP Act to facilitate regularisation of the unauthorized structures in the state. Last year also the TCP department withdrew an Ordinance and a fresh one issued recently.