- Why in news
- On 7 April 2026, the Union Housing Minister and Delhi's Chief Minister announced that 1,511 of 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi will be regularised 'as-is where-is', with no approved layout plan needed. Applications open on the SWAGAM portal from 24 April 2026.
- What it is
- PM-UDAY (Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana) confers ownership, transfer and mortgage rights on residents of Delhi's unauthorised colonies. It rests on the 2019 Regulations notified by the Centre and uses documents like GPA, Agreement to Sell, and proof of payment and possession. It gave ownership only; it did not make residents eligible for building plan approval.
- Documents and deeds
- Conveyance Deeds go to built-up properties on government land. Authorisation Slips go to properties on private land.
- Exclusions
- No rights are conferred on colonies on prohibited land, such as forests, ASI-protected areas, Zone-O (Yamuna floodplain), the Ridge and road right of way. 69 affluent colonies are also excluded.
- Who runs it
- PM-UDAY applications are handled on an online portal managed by DDA. Revenue Department, GNCTD issues the deeds and slips; MCD issues Certificates of Regularisation.
Don’t confuse with Ownership rights vs regularisation: PM-UDAY gives property rights (ownership, transfer, mortgage) to residents. Regularisation of the colony makes the structures lawful and allows building plan approval. The first did not automatically bring the second.
Don’t confuse with Conveyance Deed vs Authorisation Slip: A Conveyance Deed is for built-up property on government land. An Authorisation Slip is for property on private land.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Gives legal security and access to credit to about 45 lakh residents, as claimed by the Delhi Chief Minister.
- Brings informal housing into the planned urban framework, helping civic services and infrastructure.
Problems
- Regularising without layout plans may leave narrow roads, poor fire access and weak civic infrastructure.
- Uptake was low (about 40,000 documents) because of paperwork and missing layout plans; the same hurdles may recur.
Way forward
- Use the inter-agency cell and satellite imagery to prepare layout plans quickly, and enforce the stated timelines.
- Link regularisation to funded upgrading of roads, drainage and utilities, and keep exclusions on floodplain and Ridge land firm.
Put in your answer
Colony count: 1,511 of 1,731 unauthorised colonies are eligible for regularisation as-is.
- 2025Mains GS4 · Q8Forest land cleared for housing the poor; ecology versus welfare
- 2021Prelims Q81Right to the City meaning; public services for unauthorised colonies
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A real decision with a scheme, PM-UDAY, behind it. It is local to Delhi, so a Prelims or Mains question is unlikely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.