New rules for farmhouses, motels in South Delhi for hosting events

Farmhouses and motels in south Delhi will be able to host marriages and other events on their premises as per a new policy cleared by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Wednesday. There are 34 motels and 25 legal farmhouses in south Delhi.

The policy comes a month after the Supreme Court appointed-monitoring committee issued directions to the civic agencies for carrying sealing action against the farmhouses and motels for violating building bylaws by erecting pandals, shamiyanas and sheds in their lawns and installing air-conditioners without permission from the municipal body and safety clearance from the fire department.

The move, however, may cause friction between the monitoring committee and the civic body with a member of the SC-appointed panel saying that pandals cannot be allowed at all in motels and farmhouses as per the Master Plan. SDMC officials, however, said the policy has been formed in accordance with the Master Plan of Delhi 2021.

A monitoring committee member, requesting anonymity said, “In fact that’s why we sealed two motels in Najafgarh zone and found irregularities in four others in south zone. We will go through the new SDMC policy and bring the matter to the knowledge of the Supreme Court in the next hearing.”

Under the new policy, motel owners will be allowed to erect structures for hosting events covering not more than 40% of the total area.

The ground coverage ceiling for farmhouses will be 30% of the total area. The owners will have to pay a booking charge to the civic body at the rate of Rs 4.90 per square feet, per day in case of motels and farm houses located on national highways. The farmhouses on interstate roads will have to pay Rs 3.70 per square feet, per day and those on internal roads will be charged Rs 3 per square feet per day for hosting events. “A security deposit of Rs 10 lakh for motels and Rs 5 lakh in case of farmhouses, for a period of one year, should be paid by the applicant. If no complaints are received against the applicant, then it will be returned by the SDMC,” said Shikha Rai, chairperson of the standing committee.

SDMC commissioner Puneet Goel explained that the total covered area allowed in the new policy covers the entire paraphernalia installed for hosting a particular event, including the air conditioners, pandals, shamiyanas, and sheds.

“The pandals, shamiyanas and sheds erected inside farmhouses will be permitted upon payment of charges. However, the total covered area (including shamiyanas) must not exceed the permissible limit,”said Goel, during a special standing committee meeting called on Wednesday to approve the policy.

Under the previous policy, the total covered area allowed for motels was 15% and 30% for farmhouses. Also, no pandals were allowed on the lawns.

As per the new policy, no parking will be allowed outside the motels and farmhouses. The owners must indicate the estimated car space on the entrance gate. Also, the owner will have to procure a no-objection certificate from the fire department and the traffic police before holding the event.

Taking note of violations at farmhouses and motels during their visits last month, the monitoring committee members had directed civic officials to take immediate action against the violators.

As a result, till October 4, the North and South Delhi municipal bodies had issued show cause notices to 35 farmhouses at Chhatarpur, Rangpuri, National Highway-8, Dwarka and 22 motels in north Delhi for illegal construction and misuse. A portion of three motel had also been sealed.