New Delhi: Following Supreme Court’s directions, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated a comprehensive exercise to identify the misuse of residential premises for non-residential purposes across the city.The apex court, in its order issued in early April, impleaded municipal corporations of all capital cities, including MCD, as party respondents and directed them to carry out a detailed inquiry within their jurisdictions.MCD commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar has instructed all zonal deputy commissioners to conduct a time-bound survey to identify areas earmarked exclusively for residential use but currently being used for commercial or other non-residential activities.The survey will cover all residential colonies, including unauthorised and regularised colonies, group housing societies and plotted developments. It will also include areas falling within MCD limits as well as isolated pockets that are geographically surrounded by MCD jurisdictions.Officials have been directed to undertake field inspections, verify data thoroughly, and prepare zone-wise lists of violations. The civic body has emphasised that the data must be accurate and backed by proper records as it will form the basis of an affidavit to be submitted before Supreme Court. Senior officials have also been asked to fix accountability in cases of omissions or incorrect reporting.According to MCD directives, the compiled reports must be submitted to the additional commissioner (engineering) within seven days to facilitate consolidation and timely filing of the affidavit, which will be personally affirmed by a senior authority.Reacting to the directions, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the time period given was too short to cover the entire city. “Moreover, in Delhi, MCD has already covered various areas in the past. While several roads are pending for getting mixed-use or commercial tags, it is important for officials to understand the background thoroughly,” he added.The municipal corporation has warned that any delay or laxity in carrying out the exercise will be viewed seriously, given the strict directions issued by the apex court.
