DDA Designated as Primary Agency to Prevent and Remove Unauthorized Encroachments in Zone O River Bed

The Petitioner sought the removal of unauthorized occupations and encroachments in ‘Zone O’ (the Yamuna River bed) to mitigate pollution caused by untreated sewage from unauthorized colonies

Following a court direction on February 27, 2026, the Chief Secretary of the GNCTD convened a meeting with multiple agencies (MCD, DDA, DUSIB, etc.) on March 10, 2026, to formulate a comprehensive action plan

It was established that 91 unauthorized colonies exist within Zone O, housing approximately 20–25 lakh people

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was identified as the primary land-owning and caretaker agency for the zone

A legal conflict was noted between regulations denying property rights in Zone O and statutory provisions maintaining the status quo for unauthorized colonies

1. Whether the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is the primary agency responsible for the implementation of court orders regarding the removal of encroachments in Zone O.

2. Whether the removal of unauthorized colonies in Zone O is permissible given the apparent contradiction between Regulation 7 of the NCT Regulations, 2019, and Section 3(2)(ii) of the NCT of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011.

3. What immediate monitoring mechanisms must be deployed to prevent further unauthorized construction and encroachment in the ecologically sensitive riverbed.

National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Regulations, 2019, specifically Regulation 7, which excludes Zone O from the conferment of property rights

Section 3(2)(ii) and Section 4 of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Act, 2011, which mandates a status quo for unauthorized colonies identified as of 2014

The mandate of the Special Task Force (STF) constituted via notification dated 08.03.2019 to identify and reclaim encroached government land

The Court noted that despite DDA owning only 4,000 out of 9,700 hectares in Zone O, all stakeholders agreed in the March 25, 2026, meeting that DDA would remain the nodal agency for enforcement

The Court identified a critical legal "contradiction": the 2019 Regulations explicitly exclude Zone O from legalization, yet the 2011 Special Provisions Act provides a protective umbrella to unauthorized colonies without an explicit exclusion for the riverbed

To resolve this, the Court mandated a high-level meeting between the DDA and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to clarify whether removal is legally permissible

Recognizing that unauthorized developments occurred due to official negligence, the Court ordered a comparative drone survey to fix responsibility on field officers and directed the STF to act as the systematic execution body for the removal of unprotected encroachments

The Court directed the Secretary of MoHUA to clarify the legal status and permissibility of removing the 91 colonies by April 6, 2026

Specific orders were issued for: (i) completion of a second drone survey within two weeks; (ii) removal of encroachments not protected by statute or judicial order; (iii) the appointment of Designated Field Officers with personal liability for new encroachments; and (iv) a prohibition on transferring the current Director of Land Management, DDA, to ensure administrative continuity

The Delhi Police were directed to provide full assistance for enforcement

The matter is listed for further status reports on April 18, 2026