The Haryana Urban Development Department is eyeing the 700-odd unauthorised residential colonies in the state to regularise them for some revenue. Other than in Gurgaon, Faridabad and Panchkula districts, no authorised colony has been developed anywhere over the past two decades except those developed by improvement trusts. Over a third of the state’s urban population lives in the unauthorised colonies. Figures show 29 per cent of people live in urban areas, of which about 12 per cent live in unauthorised colonies. Around 2,200,000-2,300,000 people live there. Though dominated by the middle-income group, almost every strata of society finds representation in the colonies. The Urban Development Department has prepared a list of the colonies after a survey. Most were developed by colonisers and individuals. According to sources, the colonies would be given a one-time adjustment offer to get regularised. Those who fail to respond can expect a crackdown. The state is busy working out the quantum of penalty to be imposed on defaulting colonies and individuals. This way, the state plans to recover development charges from those who evaded it by misusing loopholes in the law. The revised policy will be introduced soon. ‘‘The colonisers earned huge profits by selling plots or houses in the colonies and evading revenue. As earlier rules allowed them amenities without regularisation, they exploited the benefits. Now, the state is ready to recover the losses,’’ a senior government officer said. For newly developed colonies, the state has come up with a policy to check further mushrooming. According to this, such colonies have to compulsorily obtain a no-objection certificate from the municipal committees or corporations.
