L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu orders faster reforms to push ease of doing business

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Friday directed all departments to fast-track pending reforms under the deregulation and compliance reduction exercise, stressing that delays were directly affecting citizens and they must be eliminated by the end of the month.

Key points

• While amendments to the Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2016, are projected to be notified shortly, the Transit-Orientated Development (TOD) policy is already under implementation.
• The revised Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, is projected to be placed before the Cabinet shortly.
• According to Sandhu, notification of the Master Plan for Delhi-2047 has enabled the implementation of all remaining phase-I reforms.
• While 18 are at advanced stages, two extra reforms have been recommended as completed.
• Senior authorities, including the chief secretary, MCD commissioner, and DDA vice chairman, attended the gathering.

Reviewing the progress of the initiatives aimed at improving "Ease of Doing Business" and "Ease of Living", the L-G remarked that success of the scheme would not be measured by files closed on paper but by tangible improvements experienced by the residents, fewer form submissions, reduced visits to offices, and faster approvals. Senior authorities, including the chief secretary, MCD commissioner, and DDA vice chairman, attended the gathering.

According to Sandhu, notification of the Master Plan for Delhi-2047 has enabled the implementation of all remaining phase-I reforms. While four were deemed not applicable after the rollout of new labour codes, of the 23 priority areas identified in phase I, 13 have been implemented. The remaining six covering zoning norms, building regulations, floor area ratio (FAR), setbacks, and third-party approvals have been substantially addressed through the new master plan framework.

Under phase II, authorities stated that seven priority reforms have been completed, including the removal of dual trade licences by the MCD, perpetual registration for commercial establishments, and electricity connections up to 200 kW without inspection. While 18 are at advanced stages, two extra reforms have been recommended as completed. Only two priority areas remain pending with the departments, with one referred to the Centre.

For context, the revised Delhi Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2026, is projected to be placed before the Cabinet shortly. Sandhu directed the departments to adhere to timelines and ensure that reforms translate into real, on-ground ease for citizens, adding that the vision of a "Viksit Delhi" would ultimately be judged by efficiency in public service delivery.

For now, L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu orders faster reforms to push ease of doing remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.