LANDPOOLING IN DELHI - WHOSE POLICY IS IT ANYWAYS?

?Much as I would like to applaud the recent announcements of MoHua team, one cannot but reflect on the past indecisions which have led to a complete erosion of trust in the policy implementation in Delhi. MPD 2021 was notified with much fanfare in 2007. Forget about completion by 2021, it hasn’t even started.

?The rhetorical proclamations about mandatory pooling to ‘convert Delhi into a global megapolis’ is lost amongst stakeholder who think that pragmatism has eluded policy making. Comparatively, Gurugram has almost developed 20,000 Ha in the same period. Political will can be held captive to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

?What is wrong?

?- The shifting goalpost ?

?Land-pooling policy of Delhi has seen 3 editions/versions over the past decade with each facing the same end result – Zero Implementation. The one that’s currently struggling for implementation was released in 2018. The problem is that DDA hasn’t followed the ‘3Ps for success of PPP policy investment & implementation’ – PRESENTABLE, PREDICTABLE, PROFITABLE.

?When different states are simplifying rules & laying the red carpet for institutional investors, Delhi is practicing socialist era methodologies where the Babu thinks that ‘Carrots are for rabbits & the stick is to tame the capitalist’.

?- The crab mentality?????????????????

?Multiplicity of authorities in Delhi is the biggest curse against organized development. The landowners, investors, Developers & financial stakeholders are confused about the problem of plenty of Govt deptts. Fathom this; MoHua, Delhi elected Govt, LG office + DDA, MCD, Revenue department, NGT, Fire deptt, Horticulture & Flood etc are likely to have a say in licensing.

?Like a ton of crabs in an open barrel, investors fear that they would be pulled back into the deep. For the record, when investments are surging into India, the capital of the country isn’t attracting any.

?And the policy doesn’t address this.

?- Teflon accountability?

?On last count, >Rs. 40,000 crores of investment are stuck in Delhi land with no sight of exit. If the same had elsewhere, heads would’ve rolled. Villagers cynically say – “?? ?? AirIndia ?? ?? Privatization ?? ???, ????? private assets ?? DDA??? ?? ??? ???”

Most ignored catchphrase in DDA seems to be ‘single-window-clearance’. So far, we haven’t seen any proof of DDA acting as a facilitator for the stakeholders. Don’t forget, DDA currently dons the mantle of planner, implementor, facilitator & regulator. Can it be all?

- Archaic laws and shoddy implementation

?‘Urbanization, internet and engagement are acts in continuum’; wonder what made DDA think that opening the web portal for 2 months at a time would motivate landowners to pool their land? 3 years gone by, <1/3rd of landowners have reposed faith by sending their EoI. Why not keep it perennially open?

?If the NCT of Delhi has been declared urban, why are the provisions of DLR Act 1954 still applicable? In a data driven world, revenue department still practices ‘manual means’ for obvious reasons. Villagers would tell you that ‘mutation ??? ??, ???? ??????

- Stakeholder kept out??

COVID-19 presented a sterling example of how policy makers, service providers, institutional investors and other stakeholders deliver lifesaving solutions within a time bound manner; thereby saving life & life savings. No such intent was ever shown in the case of landowners and investors in Delhi. Policy makers continue to engage selectively and forget that land is nothing but a raw material for urbanization for raising quality of life for burgeoning population. A careful analysis of Public hearings would reveal a different picture.

?It sounds nice to read on paper about ‘High intensity development with 400 FAR’; truth is that the actual FAR would be <100 on the gross land.

- Policy alchemist

Agreed that ‘Mandatory pooling’ was announced; but can that be implemented? The policy mandates formation of consortium which would take collective decisions. Would that mean that the Govt. can force one set of unwilling landowners to partner another set of private landowners? Is that even permissible? Who is a consortium? Who would lead? Who would collect? Consortium is akin to inserting ‘panchayati’ principles into financial investment.

?Why would a developer owing 100-150 acres of land be forced to partner a farmer with 5 acres, and vice versa. Why would an institutional investor risk their capital where a dispute is a near certainty. Why a consortium of 500 acres with equal number of owners? Landowners would tell you – ???? ??? ?? ??? ??? ??, ???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ???????? ?? ??? ????????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ??

No govt can define the scope of interpersonal relationship or even business transactions.

?That shows why only around 16 of the 129 proposed sectors are even likely to take off in phase 1. How about the trunk infrastructure to these areas?

?Let’s not forget DDA has a monopoly while developing Rohini, Dwarka, vasant kunj etc and they could mandatorily acquire lands. The laws have changed since.

While cities around NCT of Delhi are amending laws to accelerate creation of physical & social infrastructure, Delhi sadly shuts it’s eye to the 10,000 odd unauthorized colonies.

Villagers would tell you – ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???????

Ramesh Menon is an independent policy analyst for MPD2021 ?

https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/real-estate/land-pooling-whos-policy-is-it-anyway-8238331.html