Punjab: No clarity on plots registered in illegal colonies before July 31
Punjab: Days after the housing department notified a three-month period for plot holders in illegal colonies to register their properties without a no-objection certificate (NOC) by February 28, 2025, confusion prevails about properties registered before July 31, 2024. By amending the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, any property holder who has a power of attorney or an agreement to sell or a stamp paper or a registered document in respect of title to land till July 31, 2024, can register his property up to 500 sq yard with the sub-registrar or joint sub-registrar without an NOC from the concerned authority. A period of three months is allowed under Section 20(5) of the PAPRA Act-1995 and properties registered during this period are exempted under Section 20(1), (2) and (3) of the PAPRA Act for getting building plans sanctioned and getting electricity, sewage and water connections.
Gurwinder Singh Lamba, president of the Punjab Colonisers and Property Dealers Association, said, “Since the amendment to the PAPRA Act talks about properties registered during the three-month period, there is no clarity about plots registered before July 31, 2024. In many such cases, plot holders are not able to get basic amenities even after getting their properties registered. The government needs to clarify on this.” It is reported that as per the amendment, the exemption from obtaining NOC for availing basic amenities is only for those properties that are registered between December 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, the government needs to clarify the status of plot holders who get their properties registered before the exemption announced by the state. A senior government official said the Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) had sought clarification from the advocate general (AG)’s office to issue electricity connections to plots registered within a period of three months and before July 31, 2024.
