CAIT seeks extension of NCR Act for protection from sealing

The National Capital Territory Special Provision Act, 2017 is scheduled to expire by December-end.In a letter to the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Confederation of All India Traders CAIT has also suggested to extend the last date of payment of conversion charges for local shopping centres and other categories of shops by one year till December 31, 2021.

Traders' body CAIT on Wednesday wrote to Union Minister Hardeep Puri seeking extension of the National Capital Territory Act to get protection from sealing and demolition. The National Capital Territory (Special Provision) Act, 2017 is scheduled to expire by December-end.

In a letter to the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has also suggested to extend the last date of payment of conversion charges for local shopping centres and other categories of shops by one year till December 31, 2021. CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal in the letter said the Master Plan of Delhi 2041 is under drafting stage and since the plan will deal comprehensively with all issues pertaining to the future development of Delhi and also various other related issues with holistic measures, it is necessary that a further extension of the Act may be given to people of Delhi.

Multiple authorities in Delhi were given certain responsibilities in the said Act and for one reason or the other, the responsibilities have not been discharged, therefore an extension to the Act is required, he added. The National Capital Territory Delhi Laws (Special Provision) Act was first implemented in 2011, which was extended to 2017 by the Narendra Modi Government and the extension is about to expire on December 31, 2020.

The Act provides protection from sealing and demolition to encroachment or unauthorised development in the form of encroachment by slum dwellers and Jhuggi-Jhopri clusters, unauthorised colonies, village abadi area, existing farmhouses involving construction beyond permissible building limits and schools, dispensaries, religious institutions, cultural institutions, warehouses etc..