Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Letting a pet dog roam without a leash in public places could become expensive in Delhi, with a penalty set to rise from Rs 50 to Rs 1,000 under proposed amendments to municipal laws.The change is part of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada. The bill seeks to revise penalty provisions under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, with a broader push to rationalise fines and decriminalise minor offences.A number of civic violations are set to see significant increases in penalties. Tethering cattle on public roads and defacing house numbers would also attract fines of Rs 1,000, up from Rs 100 and Rs 50 respectively. Sanitation-related offences, including failing to arrange garbage collection or obstructing municipal officials, would carry fines of Rs 500. Dumping waste or allowing filth to flow into streets would invite penalties of Rs 200.Fireworks that pose a danger would be fined at Rs 500, while the general penalty for violations without a specified fine is proposed to increase from Rs 100 to Rs 500, with a higher daily fine for continuing offences.The bill also tightens rules around building safety. Failing to vacate a dangerous structure when ordered, or occupying a building without a completion certificate, would now attract fines of Rs 1,000, up from Rs 200.At the same time, certain provisions are proposed to be removed or modified. The existing maximum penalty for starting construction without notice will be scrapped, while some offences, such as failing to report births and deaths, will no longer attract fines. Operating a market without a licence would draw a penalty of Rs 2,000.The legislation also seeks to decriminalise select offences. For instance, the provision allowing imprisonment of municipal sweepers for absence without notice will be replaced with a civil penalty of Rs 500.However, some violations will face stricter consequences. Acts such as dumping items on streets, erecting structures that obstruct public ways, or opening roads without permission could lead to imprisonment of up to six months and/or a fine of Rs 5,000.In a key procedural shift, most violations would be adjudicated by designated municipal officers of at least assistant commissioner rank instead of criminal courts. The bill also proposes a 30-day window for appeals and a six-month deadline for their disposal.
