GLADA all set to crack the whip on illegal colonies

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, February 19

With the lapse of policy for regularisation of illegal colonies, which was extended time and again, on January 31, 2020, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) has got down to the task of taking punitive action against developers, who failed to fall in line (applying for regularisation of their colonies). If GLADA officials are to be believed even those having submitted incomplete documents would have to face the music.

According to a survey conducted by GLADA there are around 2,000 illegal colonies under its jurisdiction, mostly in the city and some more in Moga, Nawanshahr, Phillaur and Ferozepur.

“Approximately 500 applications have been submitted by developers of illegal colonies. Rest of them had failed to take advantage of the one-time measure to get their colonies compounded on payment of stipulated fee and development charges,” said a GLADA official.

Talking to The Tribune the GLADA Estate Officer (Regulatory), Sonam Caudhru, said, “The process for acting against defaulting developers has already been set in motion. After the expiry of the policy on January 31, 2020, teams of officials have been formed and demolition drives have been carried out at least 40 illegal colonies in four to five pockets on the periphery of the city.”

She indicated that even those developers, who had submitted incomplete applications and were staying put even after repeated reminders to provide the required documents for processing their applications, were also on the radar and liable for action as per the law. “Just submission of application and not following it up is also treated as default. Till the acceptance of application colonies where incomplete documents have been submitted will be treated at par with other unlicensed/illegal colonies,” the GLADA Estate Officer added.

Even as the regulatory bodies, including area development authorities and urban local bodies (ULBs), gear up to crack the whip on unscrupulous developers, the government decision to waive off the condition of obtaining a ‘no objection certificate’ (NOC) for registration of sale deeds has come as another shot in the arm for promoters of illegal colonies.

In December last year, the Revenue Department had issued fresh directions for the registration of sale deeds without any NOC, which had opened the flood gates for unrestricted sale/purchase of plots and properties in illegal colonies.

However, GLADA officials maintain that even if sale deeds were registered in illegal colonies, owners would face problems in getting the building plan approved, obtaining electricity connections and civic amenities because the ULBs were bound to abide by the provisions of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act.

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