PDA set to start action against illegal colonies

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, July 5

The Patiala Development Authority (PDA) has identified 172-odd colonies in the district under its jurisdiction for the cancellation of applications and registration of FIRs against the owners and demolition of properties, five years after the state government rolled out the policy to check and regularise illegally developed colonies in the state.

The government has been giving ample time to developers to apply for regulatisation of their colonies. The government had rolled out a policy to this effect in 2018. The deadline for filling applications and submitting related documents was extended repeatedly, which continued till mid-May.

Officials at the PDA said the window to submit additional documents as required for regularisation had come to an end in mid-May. The department has identified various colonies which were developed in violation of the laws and fell under the 2018 and 2013 policies. It has started writing to the office of SSP for registration of FIRs against their owners and developers.

PDA Additional Chief Administrator Manjeet Singh Cheema said, “The department has initiated regulatory action after identification of colonies during its surprise visits and other activities as part of identification of colonies and their status as per the regularisation policy.” He said the PDA had registered FIRs against the developers of four colonies.

“We have written to the police to register FIRs against 16 such colonies and are in the process of seeking similar action against 12 others. We have also demolished eight colonies while the owners of two razed their colonies themselves,” he said.

The PDA has regularised two colonies under the regularisation policy of 2013 and is in the process of cancelling the applications of 92 others. “‘The cancellation will be followed by registration of FIRs as per the provisions of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act 1995 (PAPRA),” he said.

The PDA has regularised only one colony and is in the process of cancelling applications of 52 persons who developed irregular colonies and filed applications under the 2018 regularisation policy. A number of colonisers have been given additional time to complete their documentation.

Surprise visits

The department has initiated regulatory action after identification of colonies during its surprise visits and other activities as part of identification of colonies and their status as per the regularisation policy. Manjeet Singh Cheema, PDA Additional Chief Administrator