Curbs on laser lights, drones, live shows in DDA's hotel/farmhouses party policy

High-intensity laser lights and flying of drones would be restricted, permission will be mandatory for live performances and 50 per cent area, in case of farmhouses, earmarked for soft parking, says the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in its policy for holding civil functions in hotels, farmhouses and low density residential areas (LDRA) in the capital.

The DDA told the Supreme Court that Delhi government policy in this area is regulatory. In an affidavit filed in the apex court, the DDA said: "The policy is primarily regulatory in nature and involves municipal functions; hence the same cannot be processed for notification as a part of the amendment in the Master Plan Delhi-2021."

Spelling out the compliance of the policy with MPD 2021, it referred to a slew of terms and conditions. "Use of high-intensity laser light and flying of drones above a certain height shall be prohibited, as per policy.... necessary permission as required must be taken for live performance," it mentions as norms for compliance with MPD-2021.

In case of LDRA, which includes farmhouses, a plot of more than 5 acres located on roads of minimum width of 18 metre will have to leave minimum 50 per cent area of the plot for soft parking, 25 per cent for landscaping and 25 per cent for functions. "In reference to motels, the plot shall face the road of 30m ROW, as per MPD-2021," said the DDA's affidavit.

Citing the changes in the definitions, the DDA said that the LDRA may be replaced with low density residential plot in the draft policy, and the definition of buildings, as per the unified building byelaws, may have to be included. The supervisory officers will have to monitor the enforcement of conditions mentioned above, for occurrence of any default.

The DDA has also urged the Delhi government to incorporate the recommendations in its policy.

In August, the apex court had directed Delhi's Chief Secretary to apprise it of the policy to hold social functions and marriages in hotels and farmhouses. A bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and Deepak Gupta passed this direction after the Delhi government counsel submitted it has already finalised the policy and the DDA would have to notify it.

The DDA counsel, however, told the court that it yet to receive the policy.

The Delhi government has consistently maintained there is a scarcity of places for social functions and weddings, and its policy will certainly help in mitigating the situation. It had said that its policy favours the people in the city and also incorporates accountability and penalties in its provisions.

( With inputs from IANS )