Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has paved the way for execution of lease deeds between DSIIDC and original allottees of flats under various workers’ housing schemes at Bawana and Narela in north-west Delhi.

Saxena, who approved the uniform draft lease deed, noted on file that it was baffling to observe that even after a lapse of about two decades since the initiation of the first housing scheme in 2003-2004, the lease format is yet to be finalized, the LG office said on Thursday.

The Rajiv Gandhi Housing Scheme-I was initiated in Bawana in 2003-04 and RGHS-II at Narela and Bawana in 2006-07, it said.

“It is disturbing to note that despite explicit instructions of his predecessor in 2019 to explain the reason for delay in execution of lease deeds in respect of workers’ housing schemes, the DSIIDC went on to cause another inexplicable delay of approximately five years before placing the matter for finalization of lease deed,” Saxena was quoted as saying by his office.

He directed that no further delay can be allowed in the matter and the entire exercise of execution of lease deeds which would benefit around 5,311 allottees has to be undertaken in a time bound manner.

The matter pertains to the allotment of flats under various schemes –RGHS–I (2,820 allotments made in 2006-07 to individual industrial workers), RGHS–II (150+405 allotments made in 2014 and 2017 to individual industrial workers), Institutional Allotment of 384 flats through MoU with Pragati Power Corporation Ltd (PPCL) in 2010, Institutional Allotment of 512 and 1,040 flats through MoU with Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in 2012 and 2015-18, it said.

It is important to note that in pursuance of the directions of Supreme Court in 1996, industries running in non-conforming areas in Delhi were relocated to industrial areas ie. Bawana and Narela, the LG office said.

In order to provide functional and economical residence to the industrial workers and to avoid clustering of JJ Colony in and around those areas, Low-Cost Housing Schemes were introduced by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), it said.

Saxena in his noting on file also said, that “it was only after the persistence of other organizations like Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Pragati Power Corporation Ltd (PPCL) who were allotted flats through MoU, that the department was woken up from its slumber and this case reflects a deep sense of apathy and indifference on part of the organization as a whole.”

The LG directed the administrative department to fix responsibility of officials and officers for causing delay in processing the instant matter and take stringent action against them as per extant rules and guidelines.

Simultaneously, Saxena said the Administrative Secretary is directed to take a comprehensive review of such matters in the department which have been delayed inordinately and process the same expeditiously and the matter may be resubmitted within three weeks.