Congress has taken up the issue with its leader and former MLA Hasan Ahmed saying multiple colonies have been evacuated and others declared ‘unapproved’
NEW DELHI — As Delhi and Central authorities begin regularising 1,511 unauthorised colonies, residents and political leaders have alleged that Muslim-majority localities have been systematically left out of the process.
The Centre and Delhi government launched the regularisation drive on April 24. The process follows an “as-is, where-is” policy, which recognises existing structures without demanding new layout plans.
Around 45 lakh residents are expected to gain legal ownership, enabling property registration, redevelopment, and access to bank loans. Forty-five days have been given to issue conveyance deeds, including a 7-day GIS survey.
Officially, areas on the Yamuna floodplain, forest lands, and protected monuments have been excluded from the regularisation drive.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the move as part of the BJP-led government’s push for “planned and inclusive urban development” and as delivery on past electoral promises.
But the BJP government faces accusations of selective inclusion. Critics say several Muslim-dominated areas have been bypassed while other colonies are approved for regularisation.
Congress has taken up the issue, particularly in the Mustafabad Assembly constituency. At a recent party meeting, senior Congress leader and former MLA Hasan Ahmed said that multiple colonies have been evacuated and others declared “unapproved.” He called the evictions unfair for residents who have lived there for years.
According to Hasan Ahmed, some Muslim-majority areas of Mustafabad have been ignored despite orders approving other colonies.
Concerns have been raised as demolitions would leave many families homeless and directly impact livelihoods.
Congress plans legal action and is considering moving the high court. Ahmed stated the party will “fight for their rights from the streets to the courts.”
Other Congress leaders at the meeting framed this as a rights issue, not just land or housing. They argued that residents of slums and unauthorised colonies already face hardship, and eviction would deepen those difficulties for millions.
However, officials maintain that the 1,511 colonies were chosen based on whether they fall under restricted zones, not on community identity. They deny community-based exclusion.
Regularisation in Delhi has a long history of political contention. In 2019, BJP MPs and other representatives met the Lieutenant-Governor to push for inclusion of specific colonies, some described as “affluent” or legally complex.
The current drive aims to resolve a decades-old issue of property legalisation. While it offers hope to many, the selection and exclusion criteria remain at the centre of intense political debate, with allegations that Muslim localities are being neglected.
