RLDA TO TAKE UP FIRST GROUP OF VACANT RAILWAY LAND SITES FOR COMMERCIAL USE VERY SOON
RLDA TO TAKE UP FIRST GROUP OF VACANT RAILWAY LAND SITES FOR COMMERCIAL USE VERY SOON
Chairman Railway Board, Shri J.P.Batra has said that the first group of sites for development of vacant railway land for commercial use will be entrusted to the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) very soon so that the Authority can draw up its Annual Plan for the year 2007-08 indicating the revenue projection, etc. This was stated by Shri Batra at the second Board meeting of the newly constituted RLDA here today. The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri S.K.Vij, the newly appointed Member Engineering, Railway Board and ex-officio Chairman RLDA. A brief presentation was also made to the Chairman at the meeting regarding activities mandated to be taken up by RLDA, viz., commercial development of vacant Railway land and air space including railway stations, for generating non-tariff resources and providing modern amenities to rail users.

The meeting was attended by Shri B.B.Saran, Vice Chairman, Shri Ashok Gupta, Member (Planning, Infrastructure and Development), Shri A.K.Bhatnagar, Member (Finance) and Shri Deepak Kashyap, Member, (Planning, Rail traffic Co-ordination).

RLDA has been constituted by Ministry of Railways by an Amendment to the Railway Act, 1989, for the development of vacant Railway Land for commercial use for the purpose of generating revenue by non-tariff measures.

REGULARISATION OF UNAUTHORISED COLONIES IN DELHI
The Union Cabinet today approved the guidelines for regularization of unauthorized colonies in Delhi. About 1500 colonies have come up in an unauthorized manner over the past three decades in Delhi on both Government as well as private agricultural land, due to the high rate of in-migration into the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the huge increase in the demand for housing outpacing the supply of planned housing stock.
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2. A proposal was moved in 1993 for regularizing unauthorised colonies existing as on 31.3.1993. This proposal was approved by the Cabinet in 2001 but was subsequently revised by the Cabinet in 2004. The present approval of the Cabinet will cover about 1,500 unauthorized colonies. The actual verification of these colonies which have been in existence as on 31.3.2002, in terms of their eligibility for regularization will be undertaken by Government of NCT of Delhi which has collected applications in this behalf.
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3. While regularization would entail payment of cost of land along with some penalty, in respect of colonies falling on Government land, looking to the circumstances in which these colonies had come up and the socio-economic conditions prevailing in them, rebate on the cost of land has been provided to colonies equivalent to or belonging to ?€œE?€ , ?€œF?€ & ?€œG?€ categories. The rate of penalty has also been graded so as to place less burden on the poorer sections of society inhabiting smaller plots in these colonies. Insofar as developed Government land is concerned, the land rate notified by DDA shall apply. No cost of land is proposed to be charged in respect of colonies that have come up on private land. All colonies may, however, have to make payment of development charges as may be determined by the GNCTD.
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4. No decision has been taken to regularize colonies inhabited by affluent sections of society, like, Sainik Farms. In view of the environmental concerns, colonies that fall in notified or reserved forest areas would not be eligible for regularization.
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5. Now that the Cabinet has decided the revision in the guidelines for regularization of the colonies, the Hon?€™ble High Court will be moved for vacating its interim order, in CWP 4771/1993 ?€œCommon Cause Versus UOI & Others?€ . Government is also conscious of the need to provide basic civic services in these colonies in terms of the orders passed by the Hon?€™ble Supreme Court.
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6. The decision to undertake regularization of the large number of unauthorized colonies will now, pave the way for redevelopment to be undertaken in these colonies, with a view to introducing necessary elements of planning as well as making available civic infrastructure to the extent possible, in these colonies. This decision will vastly improve the quality of life of over 30 lakh people estimated to be residing in these colonies. The mixed use regulation allowing commercial use of residential properties would also become applicable to such colonies once they are regularized. Hence, the commercial establishments, schools, nursing homes, clinics and dispensaries running in these unauthorized colonies would become eligible for regularization in due course.