A PIL was today moved in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the local authorities not to regularise unauthorised colonies till proper infrastructure is developed in such areas and the buildings conform to safety norms.

Claiming that there were over 1,700 illegal colonies in the national capital which have come up with the alleged “active connivance” of the officials of the local authorities and the Delhi government, the petition has sought an immediate stoppage of unauthorised constructions.

The petition was listed for hearing before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, but could not be taken up as one of the judges was not available.

It would be now taken up for hearing on November 3.

The plea, by advocate Arpit Bhargava, claims that illegal constructions have come up in violation of the National Building Code 2005 for seismic zone IV, in which Delhi falls, and the order of the high court that no building should be allowed to come up without complying with the norms.

He has sought directions to the local authorities like the municipal bodies, DDA and the Delhi government, “to stop regularisation of any unauthorised colony till infrastructure development has taken place in all such colonies and safety norms are complied with”.

In his plea, he has also sought fixing of accountability on the officials who had allowed such unauthorised colonies to come up, and taking of strict action against them.

( Source – PTI )