Land pooling policy ready and "board of hearing" to be held by month-end: DDA VC

Delhi Development Authority vice-chairman Udai Pratap Singh has said the land pooling policy was ready and "board of hearing" would be held by month-end.

"Hopefully by July-end, the policy on land pool will be submitted to the ministry which will notify it," he told reporters at a press briefing organised by the housing and urban affairs ministry.

Under the policy, agencies will develop infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, community centres, stadia on the pooled land and return a portion of the plot to the farmer who can execute housing projects with the help of private builders.

Earlier this week, housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Puri had told Moneycontrol in an exclusive interaction that all the work on the land pooling policy had been done.

“Land pooling got mixed up with master Plan amendment. Now that the court has lifted its stay we are in the process of the 15- day consultation. That 15-day consultation period will be over on June 9. We will then listen to people, have meetings, people now have got time to submit their suggestions. So, my answer to land pooling is… very soon.”

In March, a parliamentary panel had pulled up DDA for delay in finalizing the policy, even five years after it was notified.

Land pooling in Delhi is expected to meet the residential needs of about 95 lakh people besides stimulating economic growth. It was earlier to be in place by end of April this year.

In December last year, the policy was simplified for speedy execution. Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was to act as a facilitator and planner as against the role initially envisaged for it as a part of simplification of execution of land pooling policy. The last date for receiving objections and suggestions from the public was February 24.

Originally, land pooled under the policy was to be transferred to DDA which was to act as the Developer Entity (DE) and undertake further sectoral planning and development of infrastructure in the pooled land. At the December meeting it had decided to do away with this requirement and said that land title will continue to be with the original landowners.

DDA was also asked to ensure single-window clearance mechanism for according necessary approvals for speedy implementation.

Said Ramesh Menon of Certes Realty Ltd, “The objections and suggestion made by experts to the Chapter 19 of the MPD 2021 needs to be addressed immediately, and the process of engagement between DDA, the DE and the landowners need to be formalised. Wherever needed, experts from the private sector should be roped in for effectively defining the process.”