Day after Shaheen Bagh, bulldozers reach NFC

Anti-encroachment drive carried out in many other areas, more action today

BJP-led municipal corporations on Tuesday carried out anti-encroachment drives in their respective areas, including New Friends Colony, Vasant Kunj, Raghubir Nagar and Mangolpuri, as officials reached the spot with bulldozers along with police personnel and removed illegal temporary structures.

The anti-encroachment drives in NFC and other areas come a day after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had to return without executing a similar action in Shaheen Bagh on Monday following protests by locals and political leaders.

According to SDMC officials, a road stretch measuring two kilometers was freed from encroachment during the drive at New Friends Colony.

In addition to this, 12 sheds were removed while iron net (jali) works in front of a number of residences were also demolished in the area, they said.

SDMC officials said antiencroachment drives will continue on Wednesday in Meharchand Market near Lodhi Colony, in areas around JLN Metro station, Arjangarh Metro Station and others.

After SDMC’s drive at New Friends Colony, Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Okhla Amanatullah Khan, who had opposed the antiencroachment action at Shaheen Bagh, on Tuesday lodged a complaint against “certain municipal officials” for uprooting trees during the drive.

“Uprooting trees at the behest of Mukesh Suryan (SDMC Mayor) and Adesh Gupta (Delhi BJP chief) between Zakir Nagar dhalaan and New Friends Colony of Okhla assembly constituency by MCD without informing PWD is unconstitutional and illegal. “Today I have lodged a complaint in NFC police station to register FIR against irresponsible people of MCD,” Khan said in a tweet in Hindi.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) too carried out an anti-encroachment exercise in Mangolpuri on Tuesday. In a statement, the NDMC said “nearly 66 temporary structures along with wooden counters, pipes, five tandoors, 15 pucca thada with the help of one JCB machine/bulldozers were removed”.

Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Goel said temporary structures were removed from Mangolpuri’s Y-1 block in ward no. 46 with the help of local police.

A road stretch of about 266 metres, from a municipal primary school to Kanjhawala road, was cleared of encroachment. Illegal parking in adjoining parks was also locked after getting that area (0.79 acres) vacated, it said.

The encroachment was removed by a team of the licensing, engineering and the horticulture department of the Rohini Zone.

The action is an attempt to clear pedestrian walkways and roads of encroachments to ease traffic and pedestrian movement, officials said.