CHANDIGARH : In a landmark decision intended to bring massive relief to thousands of residents living in unauthorised colonies, the Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has officially approved an amendment to Rule 31 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (PAPR) Rules.
The strategic amendment aims to streamline and simplify the regularisation process for eligible unauthorised colonies across the state. The decision was formally passed during the recent meeting of the Council of Ministers.
Key Eligibility and Application Details
According to the details shared by the Chief Minister’s Office, the amended Rule 31 introduces several critical updates to the regularisation framework:
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Built-up Requirement: Unauthorised colonies where at least 25 per cent of the plots have already been built upon are now eligible for regularisation.
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Who Can Apply: Applications can be submitted by either the promoter of the colony or the local Resident Welfare Association (RWA).
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Second Chances: Unauthorised colonies whose regularisation applications were rejected under previous policies are now officially eligible to reapply under the amended rules.
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Jurisdiction: The provisions apply to eligible colonies situated within notified Local Planning Areas and on agricultural land earmarked under Master Plans. (Note: Colonies falling under the Regional Plan of GMADA are exempted from this).
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Deadline: The state government has fixed September 30, 2026, as the final date for the submission of applications.
Processing Timelines and Fee Structure
To ensure a swift and corruption-free process, the government has mandated strict timelines. Complete applications will be issued a provisional regularisation certificate within 30 days. Furthermore, all applications received under the amended rule must be conclusively disposed of by the competent authority within six months.
The compounding fee structure for regularisation has been set as follows:
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Residential and Industrial Colonies: 5 per cent of the prevailing collector rate on the gross area of the colony.
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Commercial Colonies: 10 per cent of the prevailing commercial collector rate.
Empowering Plot Holders and RWAs
Once the provisional regularisation certificate is issued and the prescribed fee is paid, individual plot holders will immediately become eligible to obtain regularisation certificates for their specific plots. This will allow them to legally register their plots and secure construction approvals in accordance with prevailing building rules.
For applications submitted by Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), the strict provisions of RERA will not apply. However, it remains the responsibility of the promoter or the RWA to obtain all necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from competent authorities and complete any pending development works within the stipulated timeframe.
Speaking on the development, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema reiterated the government’s commitment to public welfare.
“The Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Cabinet has decided to regularise unauthorised colonies where at least 25 per cent of the plots have already been built upon. The Government has fixed September 30, 2026, as the last date for submission of applications. Even those unauthorised colonies whose applications were rejected under previous regularisation policies will now be eligible to apply under the amended Rule,” Cheema stated.
