‘Civic agencies must lead crackdown on illegal constructions’
New Delhi: Amid rising concerns over illegal constructions in the Capital and a recent building collapse in Mustafabad that claimed 11 lives, the Delhi government has issued a fresh advisory delineating clear responsibilities between civic agencies and the police in preventing unauthorised construction.
The home department’s advisory, sent to top officials across various civic and urban departments, emphasises that the onus of preventing and acting against illegal building activities lies squarely with the local bodies, land-owning agencies, and revenue authorities. It clarified that while the Delhi Police is expected to provide support, they are not the primary agency responsible for initiating action against such activities.
This clarification follows a series of complaints from Delhi Police officials, who reportedly faced increasing pressure from civic agency staff to act against unauthorised constructions in their jurisdictions. In a recent internal meeting, police officers flagged instances where senior civic officials allegedly instructed local police units to intervene directly in construction-related matters, a role beyond their mandate.
The advisory states, “The primary responsibility to prevent unauthorised construction and removal of encroachments lies with the local bodies concerned, land-owning agencies and revenue authorities.” It reiterated that the police’s role is supportive to provide security and assistance when these agencies take enforcement action.
The advisory was issued to key departments, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Public Works Department (PWD), and the urban development department, among others. Interestingly, the urban development department had already released a circular a few weeks ago asserting that no police permission is required to begin construction, in response to allegations of harassment by police personnel. The government’s move to clarify jurisdiction comes at a critical time. The collapse of an illegally constructed building in northeast Delhi’s Mustafabad brought the issue to the fore, raising questions over enforcement lapses. While investigations are still underway, initial findings have linked the tragedy to illegal structural modifications.
