HUA ministry notifies lan polling policy for Delhi

The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has notified a land pooling policy for Delhi which will allow the city to get 17 lakh new housing units with a capacity to accommodate 76 lakh people.

The policy was notified Thursday. Last month, it was approved by the Delhi Development Authority under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Anil Baijal.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, the policy aims at developing smart and sustainable neighbourhoods, sectors and zones, planned and executed as per the availability of water, power and other infrastructure.

The core of the policy envisages an active role for the private sector and farmers are also involved in assembling land and developing physical and social infrastructure. Owners or group of owners can pool land parcels for development as per prescribed norms.

"Land parcels of any size can participate under the policy. However, the minimum land to be pooled is two hectares to ensure adequate return of land for development and form a developer entity.

"DDA will now play the role of a facilitator and the process of planning, pooling and development will be taken up by developer entities/consortiums," the ministry stated.

Differential land return in two categories has been replaced with uniform division of land on 60:40 basis in the modified policy, thereby benefitting small land holders or farmers.

Under the policy, more than five lakh of the 17 lakh houses will be built for the economically weaker sections, it stated.