HC stays demolition of working women hostel in Gurgaon

‘DEMOLITION ORDERS WERE ISSUED DESPITE PWD RECOMMENDING RENOVATION ONLY’

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday asked the Gurgaon administration not to demolish the working women hostel situated in civil lines area of the city.

The high court also ordered that present inmates would not be evicted forcefully and all the basic facilities would be restored forthwith by the hostel management.

The Gurgaon deputy commissioner, Indian Red Cross Society and Kohinoor Welfare Society, presently running the hostel, have been asked to respond by February 20.

The order from high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Darshan Singh came on the plea of one Priyanka Madan, a resident of the Working Women Hostel, Civil Lines.

The hostel with 40 rooms has a capacity to accommodate 80 residents and was constructed in 1984.

The advocate for the petitioner, IPS Kohli had told the court that the hostel was ordered to be demolished in September 2016 despite two reports of public works department, which recommending renovation only.

Further, the management was handed over to Kohinoor Welfare Society for ten years in January 14, 2016 in place of Indian Red Cross Society, Haryana state branch.

Despite a fee hike from ₹2,500 to 3,500 per month, the renovation work was not initiated by Kohinoor Welfare Society.

Now, the society is trying to forcefully evict the inmates by doing away with basic facilities such as security and food, the court was told seeking direction against demolition and forceful eviction of hostel residents.