DDA Mandates Demolition of Unauthorised Constructions Within 72 Hours of Detection
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) announced on Sunday a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to secure government land in Delhi and prevent unauthorised constructions and encroachments. The new framework, finalised during an advisory council meeting chaired by Lieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, mandates the demolition of detected violations within 72 hours.
During the meeting, Lieutenant-Governor Sandhu directed that a strict zero-tolerance approach be adopted towards unauthorised constructions. The newly designed SOP aims to facilitate early detection of encroachments, enable prompt removal actions under applicable legal provisions, and ensure better protection of land owned by the DDA.
To implement the policy, the DDA has constituted 14 dedicated flying squad teams. These teams are tasked with conducting systematic field inspections to identify unauthorised constructions and encroachments at an early stage.
The flying squads will determine land ownership and status, document violations using geo-tagged photographs with date and time stamps, and submit reports for immediate enforcement action. Under the new rules, demolitions must be carried out within 72 hours of detection by the flying squads wherever required.
Additionally, the framework integrates field verification with the Vacant Land Monitoring System (VLMS). This system will enable the regular updating of land records, verification of vacant plots post-demolition, and continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachment.
Four Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have also been deployed to execute the demolition and removal operations once violations are identified and legal procedures are completed. The SOP assigns clear timelines and responsibilities to field officers to ensure administrative accountability.
The QRTs are responsible for carrying out the demolitions, submitting reports with geo-tagged before-and-after photographs of the site on the same day, conducting videography when required, and installing DDA ownership boards at the cleared sites.
The SOP also provides that ongoing unauthorised construction on private land within development areas will be demolished after following due process of law.
