Latest news with #L&DO
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Property owners in south Delhi lament pause on leasehold-to-freehold conversion
An undeclared pause on leasehold-to-freehold conversion for the past two and a half years by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) has put many owners in south Delhi in a fix over the legal status and future prospects of their properties. A total of 264 such applications by owners in Chittaranjan Park, Lajpat Nagar and Defence Colony, among other areas, are pending with the L&DO, which comes under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, since the authority paused the issuance of fresh no-objection certificates (NOCs) in December 2022. The L&DO has cited an impending revision in land rates as the reason for not issuing the NOCs, which are mandatory for the sale and registration of leasehold and freehold properties. The L&DO revised land rates for both residential and commercial areas last in 2017. A fresh rate revision is awaited. A freehold property ownership also gives the owner complete rights without any restrictions over the property's construction, modification, and transfer. When reached for comment, the L&DO did not respond. Many of the applicants The Hindu reached out to said the NOCs are essential to carry out urgently needed infrastructural revamps. 'House needs repair' A property owner in Chittaranjan Park, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, 'Every year, rain causes a lot of waterlogging around my house, causing severe damage to the structure. I want to reconstruct it. Since 2023, I have visited L&DO's office more than 20 times, but I haven't yet got the NoC.' A Defence Colony-based property agent, Pankaj Garg, said, 'I know several such families who are waiting to sell their properties. Many of them, who got these properties 30 to 40 years ago, are old now and can't manage without a lift.' Another property agent, Himanshu Pahwa, said growing families find it difficult to adjust to the continually shrinking spaces. 'At least 15 families I know are waiting to sell these old properties and buy bigger spaces with more luxury in other parts of the NCR [National Capital Region].' Meanwhile, some property dealers see a silver lining amid the long wait for NOCs. 'The delay is a good thing. It has slowed down new developments. This helps us crack deals quicker. Low inventory doesn't give buyers too many options,' said an agent on the condition of anonymity. The L&DO has around 7% of the land in Delhi. The authority gave away these parcels on lease after Independence at nominal rates to establish residential areas. A total of 60,526 properties are under it, of which 34,905 have been converted to freehold. An owner has to meet three conditions to get their property converted to freehold — there should be no unauthorised construction in the leased property, the property must not be put to any other use than the one specified in the lease deed, and it should be free 'from all kinds of encumbrances', including legal disputes and court injunctions.
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC slams MCD over office near 700-yr-old structure, orders to vacate in 48 hours
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reprimanded the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for continuing to operate an office near a 700-year-old Lodhi-era monument in Defence Colony, despite earlier directions to vacate the area. The court granted the civic body 48 hours to clear the site 'lock, stock, and barrel'. The monument in question—Gumti of Shaikh Ali—sits at the centre of a roundabout near the Defence Colony market. Earlier this year, the apex court had come down heavily on the Defence Colony Resident Welfare Association (RWA), ordering it to vacate the structure after decades of illegal occupation, and directed its restoration. On Wednesday, the bench led by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia expressed strong disapproval of MCD's claim that its office, located 'adjacent' to the monument, was 'strategically situated' to carry out emergency operations in South Delhi. 'What kind of MCD are you?' the bench asked. 'Do you not know that no construction is allowed within 200 metres of a heritage monument? If you continue in this place, we will haul your commissioner for contempt.' Senior advocate Garima Parshad, representing MCD, argued that the restriction only applied to new constructions and not existing ones. Her argument was backed by the Delhi government's Land and Development Office (L&DO), which maintained the structure was 'safe' after the RWA's removal. The court, however, was unconvinced and ordered MCD to vacate the area entirely and hand over any keys to L&DO. The matter will be heard again on Friday to ensure compliance. The dispute over the monument began in January when the court directed the Defence Colony RWA to vacate the structure and pay ₹40 lakh to the Delhi government's archaeology department as compensation for occupying it since the 1960s. The department was tasked with restoring the structure. On Wednesday, the RWA informed the court that the compensation amount had been deposited. The archaeology department confirmed the same and told the court that the process to declare the monument as a protected site was underway. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appointed by the court to oversee compliance, informed the bench that MCD was not only operating an office near the monument but also using the surrounding area to dump construction debris. Trucks operated by the civic agency frequently used the space, he said. He also noted that a well-maintained park nearby remained locked and inaccessible to residents. Refuting MCD's justification that it needed the space for emergency services, Sankaranarayanan said the civic body had other offices in close proximity. 'Can this building function as an office? Can you not identify any other place?' the court asked after examining photographs of the site. The proceedings originated from a petition filed by Defence Colony resident Rajeev Suri, who sought to have the Gumti declared a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act). Suri approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court dismissed his plea in February 2019. The court had earlier involved the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into how the RWA came to occupy the structure in the 1960s. The CBI found no legal basis for the occupation. According to its report, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had issued a notification in 2004 to declare the structure protected, but dropped the plan after objections from the RWA. CBI cited ASI records in which a superintending archaeologist had written to the director general, noting that the monument had undergone several alterations under the RWA's occupation, making it difficult to restore. In 2008, the central government officially abandoned the proposal to protect the structure. Historical records back the monument's significance. The Gumti is mentioned in the Survey of Monuments of Delhi, conducted in the 1920s by Maulvi Zafar Hasan and published by ASI in 1926. It also features in a 1999 publication by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which describes it as an octagonal tomb with pointed arches, a domed superstructure, and an inverted lotus atop the dome. Only one of the arches remains open, while the rest have been bricked up.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Delhi: L&DO stalls conversion of leasehold properties to freehold
NEW DELHI : Thousands of Delhiites are facing a precarious situation as the land and development office (L&DO) under the housing and urban affairs ministry has stalled the conversion of leasehold properties to freehold for two-and-half years. The department has missed earlier deadlines to come up with new standard operating procedure (SOP) and rates for freehold conversion even after committing to courts. As per ministry's annual report for 2020-21, L&DO is responsible for the administration of about 60,526 leases of central govt land in Delhi, out of which 34,905 properties have been converted into freehold. Though the number of properties under L&DO are much less compared to Delhi Development Authority, the land parcels and properties administered by L&DO are prime ones, located in Lutyens', South and Central Delhi. There was no official response from the housing ministry on the status, reasons and by when the process will resume. Sources said the issue may be resolved in the next three months by when a detailed SOP will be issued and there will be simplified video guides for both conversion of leasehold properties to freehold and for getting the no objection certificate (NOC), which is mandatory for sale and registration of both leasehold and freehold properties. TOI has learnt that L&DO is flooded with complaints and requests for conversion of property status. Sources said the issue is likely to be resolved in the next three months with a new SOP and the revised rates for conversion. Some of the land owners who have been stuck due to "informal" suspension of conversion of L&DO land alleged that this has led to corruption on ground and are lured to pay an extra amount to get NOC for sale of properties. Earlier, even the Delhi High Court had taken cognisance of the delay and had sought personal appearance of L&DO to explain the factual position in one case where the petitioner has dragged the agency to court for failing to convert a property despite complying with all requirements. In some cases, people have even moved court, including in the Delhi HC. The L&DO had earlier informed the HC in one case that properties "could not be converted from leasehold to freehold as the SoP is under process and as such since 2022 no property was allowed to be converted". The L&DO had allotted most of these lands and properties to individuals and entities in the 1950s at a very nominal rate and the conversion charge for these properties from leasehold to freehold is in the range of 6-10% of the land value depending on their size. Sources said as the prevailing market rate of these properties is very high, there is more demand from leaseholders to get them freehold so that they can sell them off. They added that the middlemen involved in these sale-purchase transactions get the most out of this and the govt needs to consider how to go for better discovery of price to protect its interest and also carry out conversion of land deeds.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
L&DO freeze on leasehold-to-freehold conversions leaves thousands of Delhiites in limbo
New Delhi: Thousands of Delhiites are facing a precarious situation as the land and development office (L&DO) under the housing and urban affairs ministry has stalled the conversion of leasehold properties to freehold for two-and-half years. The department has missed earlier deadlines to come up with new standard operating procedure (SOP) and rates for freehold conversion even after committing to courts. As per ministry's annual report for 2020-21, L&DO is responsible for the administration of about 60,526 leases of central govt land in Delhi, out of which 34,905 properties have been converted into freehold. Though the number of properties under L&DO are much less compared to Delhi Development Authority, the land parcels and properties administered by L&DO are prime ones, located in Lutyens', South and Central Delhi. There was no official response from the housing ministry on the status, reasons and by when the process will resume. Sources said the issue may be resolved in the next three months by when a detailed SOP will be issued and there will be simplified video guides for both conversion of leasehold properties to freehold and for getting the no objection certificate (NOC), which is mandatory for sale and registration of both leasehold and freehold properties. TOI has learnt that L&DO is flooded with complaints and requests for conversion of property status. Sources said the issue is likely to be resolved in the next three months with a new SOP and the revised rates for conversion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You Amusement Park Equipment | search ads Click Here Undo Some of the land owners who have been stuck due to "informal" suspension of conversion of L&DO land alleged that this has led to corruption on ground and are lured to pay an extra amount to get NOC for sale of properties. Earlier, even the Delhi High Court had taken cognisance of the delay and had sought personal appearance of L&DO to explain the factual position in one case where the petitioner has dragged the agency to court for failing to convert a property despite complying with all requirements. In some cases, people have even moved court, including in the Delhi HC. The L&DO had earlier informed the HC in one case that properties "could not be converted from leasehold to freehold as the SoP is under process and as such since 2022 no property was allowed to be converted". The L&DO had allotted most of these lands and properties to individuals and entities in the 1950s at a very nominal rate and the conversion charge for these properties from leasehold to freehold is in the range of 6-10% of the land value depending on their size. Sources said as the prevailing market rate of these properties is very high, there is more demand from leaseholders to get them freehold so that they can sell them off. They added that the middlemen involved in these sale-purchase transactions get the most out of this and the govt needs to consider how to go for better discovery of price to protect its interest and also carry out conversion of land deeds.
