**Summary:**
Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1956, addressed to the Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs on July 31, 2025, concerns the desealing of approximately 13,000 shops in Delhi. Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri inquired about the existence of a government scheme for desealing these shops, the details thereof, and the reasons for the delay in desealing despite prior announcements.
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, responded that the Central Government has not formulated any scheme for desealing the shops, as this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The MCD has informed that the Supreme Court's order dated December 15, 2017, in Writ Petition Civil No. 4677/1985 (M. C. Mehta vs. Union of India & Ors.) outlines the procedure for desealing. Permanent desealing orders are issued on a case-by-case basis upon application from the owner/occupier, compliance with the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD-2021) and Unified Building By-Laws (UBBL-2016), and payment of requisite charges as per the prevailing notifications/orders/circulars of Local Bodies/LDOMonitoring Committee.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi: A city and union territory of India, the location of the shops mentioned in the policy regarding desealing.
SHRI RAMVIR SINGH BIDHURI: Member of Parliament who raised the question regarding desealing of shops in Delhi.
SHRI TOKHAN SAHU: The Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs who provided the answer to the question.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi: The local body responsible for the sealing and desealing of shops in Delhi.
Supreme Court: The highest judicial body in India, which has issued orders regarding the procedure for desealing shops.
M. C. Mehta vs Union of India Ors.: The title of the legal case in the Supreme Court related to the desealing procedure.
Master Plan for Delhi MPD2021: A planning document that outlines the development regulations for Delhi and is relevant to the desealing process.
Unified Building ByLaws UBBL2016: A set of regulations governing building construction in Delhi, compliance with which is necessary for desealing.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1956
TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 31, 2025
DE-SEALING OF SHOPS IN DELHI
NO. 1956. SHRI RAMVIR SINGH BIDHURI:
Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased
to state:
(a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to de-seal
the 13,000 shops sealed in Delhi earlier;
(b) if so, the details of the scheme or proposal in this regard; and
(c) the reasons for not de-sealing them even after an
announcement to this effect made by the Government on
several occasions and the situation is leading to heavy loss of
revenue to the Government and loss of jobs to thousands of
people?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)
(a) to (c) Sealing/De-sealing of shops comes under the purview of
local bodies i.e. Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Central Government
has not formulated any scheme for de-sealing the shops in Delhi. As
informed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Hon’ble
Supreme Court vide its Order dated 15.12.2017 in Writ Petition (Civil)
No. 4677/1985 (titled as M. C. Mehta vs Union of India & Ors.) has set
the procedure for de-sealing vide which the permanent de-sealing
orders are issued on case to case basis upon receiving an application
from the owner/occupier after complying the provision of Master Plan
for Delhi (MPD)–2021 and Unified Building By-Laws (UBBL)–2016 on
payment of requisite charges as per prevailing notification/order/
circulars of Local Bodies/L&DO/Monitoring Committee.
*****