Delhi: Changes in FAR to allow basement shops

NEW DELHI: The Centre will modify provisions of the Delhi Master Plan to provide relief to traders hit by the

sealing

drive with changes, including uniform floor area ratio for shopcum-residence plots, permitting commercial activities in basements and reducing fines.

The uniform FAR will also apply to complexes operating on commercial streets and proposals will be put to the

DDA board

on Friday for approval. The housing and urban affairs ministry on Wednesday also reduced the period for public scrutiny of changes in the master plan to three days from 45.

The reduced window for public comments is intended to ensure changes approved by the DDA Board become norms within days of adoption and are seen as emergency measures, as the city braces for a “mini election” in the event of the disqualification of 20 AAP MLAs being upheld by the Delhi high court. The political context and the deepening agitation among traders over the court-mandated sealings has injected a note of urgency in the Centre’s actions.

Housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the Centre has acted to preserve public order and address widespread concerns. “Even if we get the whole thing passed by the authority (DDA), 45 days for public hearing will not only (deepen) uncertainty but also create chaos. This will also become an issue of public order,” Puri said.

“We will file an affidavit before the Supreme Court prior to the next date of hearing on January 7. The court has asked for an affidavit,” Puri said. The minister said these are credible solutions and there is a need to bring clarity on issue from pre-1962 (before first Master Plan) and the post-1962 regimes.

Sources said the decision to reduce the public notice period will also help government to notify more streets — the municipal corporations have listed more than 350 — as commercial or mixed land use areas. The Delhi government will have to list these streets with the Centre. There are also indications that the relief provided could be one-time.

TOI on Monday had first reported that the Centre will come out with solutions before February 2, the date announced by traders for a 48-hour protest. It was also reported that the DDA technical committee had decided to increase the FAR from 180 to 300 in shopping-cum-residential areas and other measures.

Puri did not specify whether there will also be uniform conversion charges. He said penalty charges for non-registration and non-payment of shop-cum-residences will be reduced from present 10 fold. As per the master plan, commercial establishments on notified commercial roads have to pay conversion and parking charges as per rates fixed by DDA.

As of now, properties found to be under commercial use without registration, have not paid conversion charges or violate terms and conditions need to pay 10 times the annual conversion charge as penalty.

Sources said traders bodies have requested the penalty be reduced to two times the annual conversion charges. Puri also said DDA will frame a policy for regularising godown clusters in non-conforming areas and agriculture areas, which are now being sealed.