Can't 'wish away' religious structures, says Nath

Union Urban Development minister Kamal Nath feels a pragmatic view has to be taken on unauthorised structures, including religious ones, that have come up in the Capital in the past 30-40 years as one cannot ‘wish them away’.

Nath announced on Friday that the ministry planned to regularise all religious structures in Delhi. He said the ministry was assessing the number of such structures in Delhi. Those built prior to 2007, when the master plan 2021 was first notified, will be regularised.

“We have not counted them. We cannot raze religious structures. All structures built before 2007 will be regularised and some way will be found to give parking space there,” he said.

A senior Delhi Development Authority official seemed surprised. “We were not aware about the ministry’s plan and a way has to be found because there are Supreme Court directions on this issue,” said the senior official.

The Delhi High Court had recently told the government to formulate guidelines to deal with encroachment and illegal construction in the form of religious structures while adjudicating one such case.

Legit tag Nath said while the Delhi government had already announced regularisation of 917 unauthorised colonies, areas built on the ridge, forest land or protected land would also be made legal. “We will find a solution. If necessary, we will go to the court and seek directions," Nath said.