HC stays demolition notice on Ludhiana Grand Walk Mall

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Ha ryana high court on Thursday stayed demolition notices slapped on Grand Walk mall in Ludhiana by local municipal corporation and put the state government as well as MC on notice for August 23.

The HC bench of justice RK Jain acted on the petition of developer firm, GS Majestic Developers Pvt Ltd. Fastway managing director Gurdeep Singh is one of the directors in the company.

Appearing for the mall, senior advocate Puneet Bali and advocate Vibh av Jain had argued that because of the perceived close links of Gurdeep Singh with the previous political dispensation, the new government had started targeting him by issuing various notices. After nothing incriminating was found in the cable business, the local government department trained its guns on the building, Bali had argued.

The court was told that the mall was served three days’ notice on August 14 to demolish its sixth floor, claiming that it was notasperthe approvedplan. Secondly, pavement around the mall was dismantled by the MC, saying it was constructed over the green belt. No such green belt has beendemarcatedby thelocal MC either in the site plan or in the auction notice.

The entry and exit to mall from one side had been completely blocked due to dismantling of pavements, the court was told further. This clearly hints towards the malicious intent of the respondents on account of “political rivalry,” Bali had argued.

ACTED ON PETITION OF DEVELOPER FIRM, HIGH COURT HAS PUT THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND LUDHIANA CIVIC BODY ON NOTICE