Law to protect Delhi slums gets three-year extension

The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (NCTD) (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2017, to extend the provisions of the NCTD Act, 2011, for a further three years from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020, is likely to be taken up during the ongoing session of Parliament.

The Union Cabinet on Friday gave its nod to extend the provisions of the law, which protects slums and other unauthorised constructions in Delhi from punitive action till formulation of policies for their orderly arrangements.

Other arrangements

The 2011 Act provides protection from punitive action till formulation of policies/guidelines/feasible strategies for orderly arrangements in respect of slum dwellers and

jhuggi jhompri clusters, regulation of street vendors, unauthorised colonies, village abadi areas (including urban villages) and their extensions.

Policy regarding existing farmhouses involving construction beyond permissible building limits comes under this.

Street vendors

For street vendors, such protection is no longer required in view of the enactment of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending), Act, 2014.

The proposed extension of the NCTD Act beyond December 31, 2017 was necessitated because adoption of measures to finalise norms, policy guidelines, feasible strategies for making orderly arrangements to deal with the problem of encroachment and unauthorised development have to be taken by bodies like GNCT of Delhi, DDA etc, said a statement.