Another major issue in urban villages in the stalled process of land mutation - changing the ownership title in land documents. This process has been at a standstill. This has caused problems for villagers and should be resolved by the government, says Bazad. The MCD Standing Committee has decided to declare the last remaining 48 villages in Delhi as ‘urban villages’. According to the MCD, this will lead to systematic implementation of development works and improve delivery of civic amenities. Critics feel this is easier said than done. How many villages are there in Delhi? The Delhi government’s Revenue Department records 357 villages in the city. They are concentrated in the South, South West, and Outer North districts. While most have acquired urban characteristics over the decades, they remain islands of unplanned growth. “They have similar issues to unauthorised colonies… Many of the urban villages are also of heritage importance,” says the Delhi Master Plan 2041. How are villages declared ‘urban’?…