Civic bodies crack down on 300 properties across capital
SEALING CONTINUES South and North Corporations conduct drives in heavy police presence at multiple locations, including Karol Bagh and Vasant Kunj
NEWDELHI: The municipalities in south and north Delhi took action against illegal construction on public land and misuse of residential properties for commercial use by sealing and demolishing as many as 300 properties at multiple locations in the city on Friday.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation sealed 56 commercial establishments, consisting of 200 shops, offices, vehicle showrooms and hotels on Aruna Asaf Ali Road, Vasant Kunj. The drive started around 11.30am in the presence of huge police and paramilitary force.
These establishments were running illegally on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land for decades, said SDMC officials. “Though we faced some resistance in the beginning but the drive was carried smoothly later on,” a senior SDMC official said.
Since the ongoing sealing drive, which started from Defence Colony last month, is being carried under the supervision of Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, all the three members of committee — KJ Rao, Bhure Lal and major general (retd) Som Jhingan — were present.
In south Delhi, the sealed properties included automotive showrooms of Hyundai, Tata Motors, Ford, Mitisbushi and Maruti, several banquet halls, hotels, such as Pluto Hotel, Poonam Villa and K Hotel, automobile workshops, offices and other buildings, SDMC stated in an official statement.
Meanwhile in Karol Bagh area, 17 shops were sealed for encroaching upon DDA land on Thursday. “These shops were being run from past many years,” said official from North Corporation.
1,000 SHOPKEEPERS ISSUED NOTICE
The North Corporation has also issued show-cause notice to over 1,000 shopkeepers in Karol Bagh Zone regarding encroachment outside their shops. “They were asked to clear the encroachment with immediate effect else strict action would be taken against them,” said the North Corporation official.
In another demolition-cumsealing drive, the North Corporation removed at least 150 scrap dealers from seven acres DDA’S park in Prem Nagar. “A portion of the Gaushala Park was encroached by scrap vendors for keeping their stuff while constructions came up on other portion of park,” said area councillor Adesh Gupta, area councillor. “The drive will be carried tomorrow as well after which we will redevelop the park,” said Gupta.
In the demolition process, North Corporation staff faced resistance from scrap dealers. “Some staff members even got injured during the drive,” said the North Corporation official.
The issue of sealing of shops was discussed in special standing committee meeting on Friday. “A notification issued in 2007 clarifies that at least 48 hours notice should be served to shopkeepers before carrying any sealing action. We had asked the commissioner to share the details of notification with monitoring committee,”said standing committee chairman Bhupender Gupta.
NEED FOR FINAL ACTION ON ENCROACHMENTS: HIGH COURT
There is a need to act “once and for all” against illegal encroachments, the Delhi High Court today told a municipal body and the police while taking note of the practice of permitting shops on pavements.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar made the observation while hearing a PIL by south Delhi-based resident welfare association, which sought removal of encroachments from footpaths.