Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill granting ownership rights to residents in 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, PTI reported.

The Rajya Sabha passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019, by a voice vote. The Lok Sabha had passed the proposed legislation on November 28.

The development of planned housing colonies has not kept pace with the requirements of the massive population increase in the last few decades, the draft law pointed out. “In view of the socio-economic conditions of the residents of the unauthorised colonies and ground realities, it is desirable to recognise and confer rights of ownership or transfer or mortgage to the residents of such colonies,” it added.

The Union Cabinet had approved the proposal to regularise the colonies on October 23, three months after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced his government’s move to give ownership rights to people living in these colonies.

While Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party government, accusing it of being slow in implementing the plan, Kejriwal has claimed credit for the Narendra Modi government’s decision. Last week, the chief minister took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying its “sudden love” for people in the unauthorised colonies ahead of next year’s Assembly elections had been triggered by the development work done by his government in the past five years.