The Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage) Act, 2016

GOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB 
 
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS  
 
THE AMRITSAR WALLED CITY (RECOGNITION OF USAGE) ACT, 
2016 
 
(PUNJAB ACT 13 OF 2016) 
(As amended upto the 15th June, 2025) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2025 
 
 

 
THE AMRITSAR WALLED CITY (RECOGNITION OF USAGE) ACT, 
2016 
 
Section                               CONTENTS 
 
1. Short title, application and commencement 
2. Definitions 
3. Mode of application 
4. One-time recognition of usage in commercial establishment  
5. Time limit for finalizing action 
6. Restriction on recognition of usage  
7. Overriding effect 
 Form ‘A’ 
 Form ‘B’ 
 Schedule   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
THE AMRITSAR WALLED CITY (RECOGNITION OF USAGE) ACT, 
2016 
(Punjab Act No. 13 of 2016) 
    [Received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 2 5th day of April, 
2016, and was first published for general information in the Punjab 
Government Gazette (Extraordinary), Legislative Supplement, dated the 29th 
April, 2016.]  
1 2 3 4 
Year No. Short title Whether repealed or 
otherwise affected by the 
legislation 
2016 13 The Amritsar 
Walled City 
(Recognition of 
Usage) Act, 2016 
 
 Amended by Punjab Act 
No. 23 of 2017 
Amended by Punjab Act No. 
5 of 2019 
 
 
An Act to provide for one-time recognition of usage in respect of building  
violations made in commercial establishments within the walled city of 
Amritsar and for regulated development by providing for public safety, 
convenience and well being.   
BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Sixty -
seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows: - 
1. (1) This Act may be called the Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of 
Usage) Act, 2016.  
(2) It shall be applicable to the walled city. 
Short title, 
application and 
commence-
ment. 
 
(3) It shall come into force on and with effect from the date of its 
publication in the Official Gazette.  
2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, - 
(a) "appointed date" means such date, as may be notified by the State 
Government; 
(b) "building bye-laws" means the Municipal Corporation (Erection 
and Re-erection of Building) Bye-laws, 1997; 
 (c) “building violation” means construction of a building made in 
violation of its sanctioned plan or without getting the plan 
sanctioned from the Competent Authority, whole or part of which 
is non-compoundable as per clause 3.15 of the building bye-laws 
made under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976; 
(d) “commercial establishment” means a building, other than an 
industrial building , used or constructed or adopted to be use d 
wholly or partially for shops, private offices, banks, ho tels, 
restaurants, beauty parlors, boutiques, video parlors, cinemas and 
auditoriums, or any other such building , being used for similar 
purpose engaged in trade and commerce, but shall not include  
nursing homes, hospitals, marriage palaces and multiplexes;  
(e) “Competent Authority” mean the Commissioner , Municipal 
Corporation, Amritsar;  
(f) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;  
(g) "State Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab 
in the Department of Local Government; 
(h) "usage" means the existing use of the commercial establishment 
as per the municipal record on the appointed date; and 
Definitions. 
 
(i)  “walled city” means the area of Amritsar city bounded by o uter 
circular road within the boundaries of fascile wall and old gates 
i.e. Hall Gate, Ram Bagh Gate, Mahan Singh Gate, Sheran Wala 
Gate, Ghee Mandi Gate, Sultanwind Gate, Chatiwind Gate, 
Gilwali Gate, Bhagtan Wala Gate, Hakiman Gate, Khazana Gate, 
Lahori Gate, B.K. Dutt Gate, Lohgarh Gate , Hathi Gate and 
Sikandri Gate as shown in the Schedule appended to this Act.   
(2) All other expressions used, but not defined, in this Act shall have 
their respective meanings as assigned to them in the Punjab Municipal 
Corporation Act, 1976 and the building bye-laws.  
 
1[3. (1) Within a period of thirty days from the date of coming into force 
of the Amritsar   Walled   City  (Recognition   of   Usage) Amendment Act, 
2019, any owner of the commercial establishment, within the walled city, may 
voluntarily disclose about any building violation and apply to the Competent 
Authority for recognition of its us age as on the appointed date. Such an 
application shall be submitted as per Form 'A' along with photographs of such 
establishment, duly signed by its owner.  
 (2) Thereafter, within a period of sixty days, the applicant shall 
submit the required informatio n in "Form 'B' alongwith all the requisite 
documents/plans and such application fee, as may be prescribed.]  
 
4.  (1)  The building violations and usages as they exist on the appointed 
date and disclosed voluntarily shall be settled by the Competent Authority , as 
a one -time measure, on as -is-where-is basis, subject to adherence to such 
                                                             
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 5 of 2019, Section 2 
 
 
Mode of 
application. 
 
 
One-time 
recognition of 
usage in 
commercial 
establishment. 
 
 
norms and upon payment of such composition fee, as may be prescribed by the 
State Government in view of the peculiar situation of the walled city.  
 (2) The applicant shall have to make structural changes in the 
building if required to bring it in conformity with prescribed norms within a 
period of ninety days from the date of submission of details in Form ‘B’ and 
shall also submit mandatory clearances from the other department/authorities, 
if required. 
(3) In case such owner/applicant does not comply with the prescribed 
norms, then the water  supply/sewerage connections to the whol e commercial 
establishment shall be disconnected after giving a notice of thirty days, which 
shall be followed by sealing. 
1[5. The Competent Authority shall pass the final order and finalize the 
matter under this Act within a period of one year form the date of coming into 
force of the Amritsar Walled City (Recognition of Usage)  Amendment Act, 
2019.]   
  
6. (1) No usage, in case of a building violation, shall be recognized if it 
involves encroachment on any public or private land. 
 (2) The one -time recognition shall  be without prejudice to the 
disciplinary action, as may be taken against the concerned officer or official of 
the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, who is found responsible for aiding or 
abetting such usage and building violations. 
7. Notwithstanding anything inconsistent contained in the Punjab 
Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 and the rules, regulations and the building 
                                                             
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 5 of 2019, Section 3 
 
Restrictions 
on 
recognition of 
usage. 
Time limit 
for 
finalizing 
action. 
 
Overriding 
effect. 
 
 
bye-laws made thereunder, the provisions of this Act shall have an over-riding 
effect.  
 
                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FORM ‘A’ 
[ see section 3(1)] 
Application form for recognition of building violations and usage  
 
To 
The Commissioner, 
Municipal Corporation, Amritsar. 
  
 I/We have constructed a commercial/hotel building or carried out 
alteration / addition to an existing building before -------------- without 
obtaining sanction from the Competent Authority.  
 I/We have obtained sanction vide permit No.    dated 
   for the construction or reconstruction or addition or alteration 
to an existing building and have carried out the construction in 
deviation to sanctioned plans. 
The particulars of the said building are as under:- 
a)  Name of owner(s) of the 
Building 
 
b)  Address of property in 
question 
Property No.  
Block No. / 
Street 
 
Ward No. / 
Locality 
 
c)  Description of Building Use of building  
Plot area  
No. of storeys  
d)  Date / Year of construction  
1. I/We realize that the construction so carried out is in violation of the 
provisions of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 and/ or the 
Building Bye-laws framed thereunder. 
 
2. I/We hereby request that the said building may be considered for 
recognition of usages in terms of the provisions of the Amritsar Walled 
City (Recognition of Usage) Act, 2016. 
3. I/We declare that the building does not encroach on any public / private 
land or on public space by virtue of any Scheme. 
4. I/We declare that neither any dispute regarding ownership or 
construction thereof is pending with any Court, Authority / Department 
or with any person nor any adverse orders have been passed by any 
Court or Authority / Department pertaining to or with reference to the 
land /plot or building therein. 
5. I/We also undertake to abide by and comply with all the conditions, 
which may be imposed while recognizing the usages in the aforesaid 
building. 
6. I/We solemnly affirm and declare that the above information is true / 
correct to the best of my / our knowledge / belief. 
7. The photographs showing the elevation of the building from all sides 
are enclosed. 
Yours faithfully, 
 
(Signature/Thumb impression of applicant 
with date of submission and address) 
 
                                                    FORM ‘B’ 
                                               [see section 3(2)] 
Application form for recognition of building violations and usage 
To 
The Commissioner, 
Municipal Corporation, 
Amritsar. 
Sir, 
In continuation of my Application for recognition of building 
usage in Form A, submitted vide number     dated 
         , I hereby submit the following details / documents / Plans as 
required under sub- section (2) of section 3 of The Amritsar Walled City 
(Recognition of usage Act 2016 
a)  Name of owner (s) of the 
Building 
 
b)  Address of property in question Property No.  
Block No. / Street  
Ward No. / 
Locality 
 
c)  Description of Building 
a)  Plot area  
b)  No, of storeys  
c)  Floor wise area Use Total Area non- 
compoundable 
area 
(i)  Basement     
(ii)  Ground Floor    
(iii)  First Floor    
 
(iv)  Second Floor    
(v)  Third Floor    
(vi) Fourth floor    
     
     
Total Area    
  Permissible / 
Required 
As per site Non 
compoundable 
d)  FAR    
e)  Height    
f)  Setbacks    
Front    
Side – I     
Side – II     
Rear    
 g)  Parking    
 
2. Checklist of enclosures to be furnished by the owner: - 
a) Copy of ownership document; 
b) Copy of approved building plan, if any; 
c) Structural Safety Certificate given by the Structural Engineer;  
d) Fire Safety Certificate, if applicable; 
e) Four copies each of the Location Plan, Site Plan, Floor plans, 
Elevations and Sections of the building, Service Plans and 
specifications as provided in the Municipal Building Byelaws, 
duly signed and certified in the prescribed format, by the owner 
and Architect / building designer. 
 
(Note:- In the drawings / Plans the non–compoundable violations shall be 
outlined in red colour and All the drawings / Plans shall be duly signed 
and certified by the Owner and the Architect / Building designer that the 
constructions have been raised on or before the appointed date and all the 
details / measurements are as per construction existing at site.)  
 
Yours faithfully, 
 
(Signature/Thumb impression of 
applicant with date of submission) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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