act 043 of 2007 : The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) At, 2007

Section 1.Short title, extent, commencement and duration.

(1) This Act may be called the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2007.

(2) It extends to the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 19th day of May, 2007.

(4) It shall cease to have effect on the 31st day of December, 2008 except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such cesser, and upon such cesser section 6 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 (10 of 1897) shall apply as if this Act had then been repealed by a Central Act.

Section 2.Definitions.

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

(a) 'building bye-laws" means bye-laws made under section 481 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (61 of 1957) or the bye-laws made under section 188, sub-section (3) of section 189 and sub-section (1) of section 190 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (Punjab Act 3 of 1911) as in force in New Delhi or the regulations made under sub-section (1) of section 57 of the Delhi Development Act, 1957 (61 of 1957) relating to buildings;

(b) "Delhi" means the entire area of the National Capital Territory of Delhi except the Delhi Cantonment as defined in clause (11) of section 2 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (66 of 1957);

(c) "encroachment" means unauthorised occupation of Government land or public land by way of putting temporary, semi-permanent or permanent structure for residential use or commercial use or any other use;

(d) "local authority" means the Delhi Municipal Corporation established under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (66 of 1957) or the New Delhi Municipal Council established under the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 (44 of 1994) or the Delhi Development Authority established under the Delhi Development Act, 1957 (61 of 1957) legally entitled to exercise control in respect of the areas under their respective jurisdiction;

(e) "Master Plan" means the Master Plan for Delhi with the perspective for the year 2021 notified, vide the notification number S.O.141(E), dated 7th February, 2007 under the Delhi Development Act, 1957 (61 of 1957);

(f) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

(g) "punitive action" means action taken by a local authority under the relevant law against unauthorised development and shall include demolition, sealing of premises and displacement of persons or their business establishment from their existing location, whether in pursuance of court orders or otherwise;

(h) "relevant law" means in case of--

(i) the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Development Act, 1957 (61 of 1957);

(ii) the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (66 of 1957); and

(iii) the New Delhi Municipal Council, the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 (44 of 1994);

(i) "unauthorised development" means use of land or use of building or construction of building or development of colonies, village abadi area and its extension, carried out in contravention of the sanctioned plans or without obtaining the sanction of plans, or in contravention of the land use as permitted under the Master Plan or Zonal Plan or layout plan, as the case may be, and includes any encroachment.

(2) The words and expressions used but not defined herein shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Delhi Development Act, 1957 (61 of 1957) the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (66 of 1957) and the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994 (44 of 1994).

Section 3.Enforcement to be kept in abeyance.

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any relevant law or any rules, regulations or bye-laws made thereunder, the Central Government shall before the expiry of this Act, take all possible measures to finalise norms, policy guidelines and feasible strategies to deal with the problem of encroachment or unauthorised development in the form of encroachment by slum dwellers and Jhuggi-Jhompri clusters, hawkers and urban street vendors, unauthorised colonies, village abadi area and its extension, existing farm houses involving construction beyond permissible building limits and schools, dispensaries, religious institutions, cultural institutions, storages, warehouses and godowns used for agricultural inputs or produce (including dairy and poultry) in rural areas built on agricultural land, as mentioned below:--

(a) policy for relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers and Jhuggi-Jhompri clusters in accordance with provisions of the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021 to ensure development of Delhi in a sustainable, planned and humane manner;

(b) strategy for regulation of urban street vendors in consonance with the national policy for urban street vendors and hawkers as provided in the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021;

(c) scheme containing guidelines for regularisation of unauthorised colonies, village abadi area and its extension, as existed on the 31st day of March, 2002, and where construction took place even beyond that date and up to the 8th day of February, 2007;

(d) policy regarding existing farm houses involving construction beyond permissible building limits; and

(e) policy regarding schools, dispensaries, religious institutions, cultural institutions, storages, warehouses and godowns used for agricultural inputs or produce (including dairy and poultry) in rural areas built on agricultural land.

(2) Subject to the provisions contained in sub-section (1) and notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order of any court, status quo--

(i) as on the 1st day of January, 2006 in respect of encroachment or unauthorised development; and

(ii) in respect of unauthorised colonies, village abadi area and its extension, which existed on the 31st day of March, 2002 and where construction took place even beyond that date and up to the 8th day of February, 2007, mentioned in sub-section (1),

shall be maintained.

(3) All notices issued by any local authority for initiating action against encroachment or unauthorised development referred to in sub-section (1), shall be deemed to have been suspended and no punitive action shall be taken till the 31st day of December, 2008.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Act, the Central Government may, at any time before the 31st day of December, 2008, withdraw the exemption by notification in respect of encroachment or unauthorised development mentioned in sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), as the case may be.

Section 4.Provisions of this Act not to apply in certain cases.

During the period of operation of this Act, no relief shall be available under the provisions of section 3 in respect of the following encroachment or unauthorised development, namely:--

(a) encroachment on public land except in those cases which are covered under clauses (a), (b) and (c) of sub-section (1) of section 3;

(b) removal of slums and Jhuggi-Jhompri dwellers, hawkers and urban street vendors, unauthorised colonies or part thereof, village abadi area and its extension, in accordance with the relevant policies approved by the Central Government for clearance of land required for specific public projects.

Section 5.Power of Central Government to give directions.

The Central Government may, from time to time, issue such directions to the local authorities as it may deem fit, for giving effect to the provisions of this Act and it shall be the duty of the local authorities to comply with such directions.

Section 6.Repeal and savings.

(1) The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Ordinance, 2007 (Ord.7 of 2007) is hereby repealed.

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Ordinance, 2007 (Ord. 7 of 2007) shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act.