The MCD identified around 21,000 Delhi properties violating residential land-use rules. Owners lacking valid conversion approvals or unpaid charges could face phased sealing.
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Newdelhi,Oct 14, 2026 18:46 IST
Around 21,000 properties in Delhi could face action for violating land-use rules after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi found commercial establishments operating from residential premises, officials said on Wednesday.
The properties, identified during a survey of nearly four lakh buildings, include coaching centres, restaurants, grocery stores and sweet shops. The MCD plans to issue notices and begin sealing proceedings in phases.
A senior MCD official said around five per cent of the properties surveyed were being used for commercial activities despite being designated for residential purposes.
"Nearly four lakh properties have been surveyed, and around 21,000 were found to violate land-use norms. These include coaching centres, restaurants, grocery stores, sweet shops and other commercial establishments operating from residential premises. We will issue notices to the owners and initiate sealing proceedings in phases," the official said.
Of the 21,000 properties identified, around 7,000 owners claimed that they had completed the process to convert their premises for commercial use. Another 6,000 properties were located on roads designated for mixed land use, another MCD official said.
"Properties where the required conversion process has not been completed, including those where conversion charges remain unpaid, could face sealing. Notices will be issued to the owners, and action will be taken in a phased manner after examining the applicable requirements," the official said.
The survey followed a Supreme Court order issued in March 2026, directing local bodies in the capitals of all states and Union territories to act against residential properties being used illegally for commercial activities.
The order was passed in the Loganathan vs State of Tamil Nadu and Others case. The matter began with a dispute over an unauthorised structure in Chennai before the Supreme Court extended its directions to other states and Union territories.
Under Delhi's land-use rules, commercial activities are allowed on designated commercial streets. Specified commercial establishments may also operate on roads notified for mixed land use, subject to conditions such as the payment of conversion charges to the MCD.
Official data shows that Delhi has around 1,821 such roads. Of these, 987 have been notified for commercial activities and 834 are in the mixed-land-use category. Shops are allowed on the ground floors of properties along mixed-land-use roads, while the upper floors may be used for residential purposes, subject to applicable rules.
The mixed-land-use provision was introduced in 2006 during a major sealing drive against unauthorised commercial establishments in residential areas. The drive, monitored by a Supreme Court-appointed committee, had led to protests by traders and shopkeepers across Delhi.
The MCD will now examine the status of the properties identified in its survey, issue notices to owners who have not met the required conditions and carry out sealing action in phases where violations are established.
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