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T L Garg in New Delhi
The government has said it would not legalise Sainik Farms, a sprawling neighbourhood of country villas and 'farmhouses' at Delhi's southern periphery, but is silent on whether the structures would be demolished.
"Sainik Farms is an unauthorised colony of the affluent sections that has been built on agricultural land. It will not be regularised," the urban development ministry said in a petition filed before the Delhi high court on Monday.
The court is hearing a public suit seeking the demolition of the villas, euphemistically called farmhouses, since they are built on what was once farmland.
"Regularisation of colonies like Sainik Farms are not to be considered, as these have come up in gross violation of land use, regulations and building byelaws," government counsel Gita Luthra said before the court.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, within whose jurisdiction Sainik Farms lies, sought court directions on what it was expected to do next. The court said it would hear the case on September 10.
Luthra said the Ministry of Urban Development had decided to take action against all constructions that have come up after March 31, 1993, the cut-off point that has been laid down for legalising such neighbourhoods.
Many of the 500 villas in Sainik Farms, some of which are spread over seven acres and have swimming pools and bowling alleys, were built in the early 1960s.
Indo-Asian News Service
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