Another extension on cards for special provisions law that protects illegal constructions in Delhi

By: Hindustan Times

Published: 30 October 2026

Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk

Delhi's local bodies have initiated the process for recommending another extension of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act—which essentially grants blanket protection to any illegal construction in unauthorised colonies that came up before June 2014, multiple officials aware of the matter said. Official data from the MCD show that only 136 applications have been submitted by residents of unauthorised colonies, while 22 have been approved. (PTI/ Representative)The act is likely to be granted another three-year extension before it lapses in December 2026. The development comes at a time when the national capital has witnessed multiple building collapses in the city's unplanned settlements. Meanwhile, an extremely tepid response continued under the PM-JAY scheme for regularisation of properties in Delhi's 1,511 unauthorised colonies, which was announced in April this year. Official data from the MCD shows that only 136 applications have been submitted by the residents of these colonies, while 22 have been approved. A senior municipal official explained that, as part of granting another extension of protection under special laws, reports are sought from the urban local bodies. "We have already submitted our report in this regard, and the act is once again likely to be extended for three years later this year. Parliament will have the final say, but the scale of the problem is such that protection will have to be extended; otherwise, lakhs of buildings will fall under the category for punitive action and demolitions," the official added. A similar exercise has been undertaken by the New Delhi Municipal Council last month. The extension proposal in this regard argues against developments which were not in consonance with the Master Plan of Delhi and building byelaws. Illegal structures that came up in Delhi before June 2014 are protected from punitive action under the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, passed by Parliament. However, experts argue that the provision, initially meant to remain in force for just one year, has become a loophole and that the government needs to relook at it when the current extension expires in December 2026. The genesis of the regulatory protection dates to February 2006, when the MCD launched a city-wide sealing drive following court orders. The scale of unauthorised construction and other violations was so large that Parliament intervened, with the then UPA government passing the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006. The law initially provided protection against sealing for just one year, but was subsequently extended in 2007, 2009, 2011 and thereafter every three years until 2023. The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Act, 2023, extended protection for unauthorised buildings for another three years, until December 31, 2026. Each successive government responded with regularisation schemes, amnesty provisions and special laws that allowed these settlements to remain, while rarely addressing the underlying shortage of planned housing and commercial space. To further add to the protection blanket, on April 7, 2026, the central government announced the regularisation of 1,511 unauthorised colonies in Delhi on an ‘as-is-where-is’ basis, with an estimated population of 4.5 million. "Most of these buildings don't conform to building byelaws, but the as-is-where-is provision leaves the vulnerable structures open for regularisation," the official added. A second official said that hardly any applications for the regularisation of properties have been received since April. "Just 137 applications for regularisation of properties were received, and 22 applications have been approved. The fee for regularisation and associated charges have been slashed. We have also initiated a process where people can directly approach independent architects for processing their applications, instead of the MCD. Still, the number remains very low, and the deadline will have to be extended," the official added. Paras Singh is a New Delhi-based journalist with Hindustan Times, where he serves as Deputy Metro Editor. He reports on urban governance, the Delhi government, the Delhi BJP, water management, the environment, communities and city life. He joined Hindustan Times in 2021 after beginning his journalism career at The Times of India in 2016, where he covered civic bodies, the water and power sectors, and urban infrastructure. Over the last decade, some of his reporting has led to significant public impact, with investigations into environmental violations, corruption and illegal industrial activity contributing to multiple judicial interventions by the National Green Tribunal and the Delhi High Court. A graduate of St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, Paras studied journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi. Having extensively covered the capital's evolving civic and governance landscape, his recent work increasingly explores Delhi's history, built heritage, urban evolution and the relationship between people and place, alongside continuing to report on governance and public policy.Read More

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