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70 illegal buildings sealed by Ludhiana MC; traders, led by MLA Gogi, protest
Ludhiana municipal corporation sealed illegal structures that have mushroomed in residential areas on Bahadurke Road, Chandigarh Road, Tibba Road, Model Town Extension, Gandhi Nagar among other areas of the city
Cracking down on illegal constructions, the municipal corporation (MC) on Wednesday sealed around 70 unauthorised buildings, including shops and industrial units, in various parts of the city, prompting protest by shopkeepers that led to a two-hour blockade on the main road from Krishna Mandir to Ishmeet Singh Chowk.
The MC sealed illegal structures that have mushroomed in residential areas on Bahadurke Road, Chandigarh Road, Tibba Road, Model Town Extension, Gandhi Nagar among other areas of the city.
MC officials said that the sealed buildings violated established building bylaws.
“As per the information taken from the officials, prior notices have been given to these illegal building owners for the past several years who have changed their buildings into commercial without taking change of land use permission,” MC commissioner Sandeep Rishi said.
The action by the civic body led to a protest by shopkeepers in Model Town Extension area. As many as 35 shops were sealed in the Model Town area at around 8 am, catching many shop owners off guard as they were yet to open for the day.
According to MC officials, the shops have been sealed as the road on which the shops are situated, has not been declared commercial by the department.
Le by MLA West Gurpreet Singh Gogi, shopkeepers gathered at Ishmeet Chowk to express their discontent, blocking traffic and parking their cars near Krishna Mandir Chowk in response to the sealing of their shops. The protesters alleged that no prior notice was given to them about the action by the MC.
Amid the protest, MLA Gogi took matters into his own hands and personally removed the seals from shops in the Model Town Extension area. He criticised the MC for “hasty and unjust actions”, emphasising the absence of proper notice to shopkeepers before sealing.
“There should be a three-day notice before sealing a building, and this has not been followed by the officials. Higher-ups are involved in these illegal constructions, and a fair approach should be maintained in my constituency,” he said.
Priyanka Narang, one of the affected shop owners, said, “I opened my shop three years ago in a building constructed two decades ago. The department sealed my shop early in the morning without any prior information or notice. This has disrupted my bakery orders and deliveries.”
Reacting on the shops that he re-opened after they were sealed, MC Rishi said, “I have asked the officials to give me the report regarding the shops which opened after they were sealed and I will give it to the police commissioner to register a FIR against the person who opened the sealed shops.”
The Zone A team led by ATP MS Bedi sealed 16 buildings, while Zone B team led by ATP Harvinder Singh Honey sealed 18 buildings, including a petrol pump. The owner had established the petrol pump without getting a building plan approved from the department.
Besides the shops in Model Town Extension area, the Zone D team also demolished illegal flats which were being constructed in Panchsheel Vihar on Barewal Road. The premises have also been sealed.
The MC commissioner said that a major drive has been initiated against illegal constructions and directions have been issued to the building branch officials to take strict action against those violating norms.
Rishi further stated that the drive against illegal constructions will continue in the coming days too. He appealed to the residents to stop illegal constructions and commence construction works only after getting the building plan approved from the MC.
