PRAYAGRAJ: The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) has initiated a significant review of notices issued over the past decade regarding properties in violation of building bylaws, approved maps, land-use norms, and other development regulations. This exercise, directed by PDA Vice-Chairman Rishi Raj, involves a thorough examination of old records to identify buildings that may now qualify for regularization under the relaxed provisions of Master Plan-2031.
As part of this process, the PDA is reassessing notices issued to over 30,000 property owners. Many of these properties were previously deemed in violation of construction regulations and could not be regularized under Master Plan-2021. Thanks to recent relaxations introduced by the state government and incorporated into Master Plan-2031, property owners can now have a chance to legalize their constructions by paying the required compounding fee.
According to the PDA VC, “This is not a new crackdown but an effort to revisit old cases and extend the benefits of revised regulations to eligible property owners. We believe many buildings that were previously outside the regularization scope can now be brought within the legal framework.”
The review is also set to bolster the PDA’s finances significantly. Officials project that the authority could generate over Rs 1,500 crore through the collection of compounding fees from eligible properties, enhancing its financial standing and providing resources for future development and infrastructure projects.
PDA officials are actively reviewing records from the last decade, with the number of properties under review potentially increasing from over 30,000 to nearly 40,000 as more records are examined. This review process is also aiding in the digitization and organization of PDA’s historical records, creating a digital database for better administrative efficiency.
To facilitate smooth implementation, dedicated teams have been established under the supervision of the PDA secretary. These teams are responsible for identifying eligible cases, coordinating with property owners, processing applications, and collecting compounding fees to enable regularization under Master Plan-2031.
