Delhi: DDA issues SOP for anti-encroachment flying squads, demolition teams

New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) After Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) T.S. Sandhu’s directives regarding zero-tolerance to encroachment, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for 14 Flying Squad Teams and four Quick Response Teams, an official said on Sunday.

The initiative is expected to strengthen the land-owning agency’s enforcement framework for securing government land and preventing unauthorised constructions and encroachments, the DDA official said in a statement.

As per L-G Sandhu’s instructions, the SOP provides for the use of modern technologies, including drone-based inspections wherever required, it said.

The framework also integrates field verification with the Vacant Land Monitoring System (VLMS), enabling regular updating of land records, verification of vacant plots following demolition, and continuous monitoring to prevent re-encroachment, the DDA said.

“Giving effect to the directions of the Lieutenant Governor, who is also the DDA Chairperson, for real-time, technology-enabled monitoring, 14 dedicated Flying Squad Teams have been constituted across DDA’s zones to conduct systematic field inspections covering their entire jurisdiction on a regular basis,” it added.

The flying squads will identify unauthorised constructions and encroachments at an early stage, determine the ownership and status of the land, document violations through geo-tagged photographs with date and time stamps, and submit reports for immediate enforcement action.

“Wherever required, demolition shall be carried out within 72 hours of detection by the flying squad,” the DDA statement said.

Under the revised arrangement, four Quick Response Teams will undertake prompt demolition and removal operations immediately upon identification of violations and completion of the requisite legal procedures, wherever applicable, it added.

The SOP prescribes defined timelines and assigns clear responsibility to the field officers, thereby ensuring greater administrative accountability and expeditious enforcement, the statement said.

“The Quick Response Teams’ responsibilities include carrying out demolition of unauthorised construction and encroachments, submitting a demolition report along with geo-tagged before-and-after photographs of the demolition site by the end of the same day, undertaking videography of the demolition exercise wherever required, and ensuring that the DDA ownership board is fixed at the site,” it said.

After demolition and removal of unauthorised structures, the concerned field formations will ensure continuous monitoring and protection of the land so that re-encroachment is effectively prevented, the statement said.

–IANS

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