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Ludhiana: GLADA’s demolition drive faces opposition from property dealers
The GLADA team had visited Durga Enclave Phase 1, near Chuharpur Road, Haibowal, to carry out a demolition drive of unapproved and unauthorised colonies, which were built after 2018
A group of property dealers and residents on Friday strongly opposed a demolition drive set to be carried out by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).
The team, led by Khushpreet Singh, GLADA officer, had visited Durga Enclave, Phase 1, near Chuharpur Road, Haibowal, to carry out a demolition drive of unapproved and unauthorised colonies, which were built after 2018.
“We are in process of lodging a formal police complaint in this regard. They have no documents to show. They admit that the colonies are illegal and established after 2018 without approval. Now when the authorities were about to carry out the demolition work, they blocked the way and protested against the team due to which we had to return,” Singh said.
The property dealers and residents blocked the road leading to the unauthorised colonies, not allowing authorities to carry out the demolition.
The realtors and residents refused to move despite police intervention. Mandeep Singh Mani, president of the Property Dealer Association, reasoned by saying that the government was in the process of formulating a policy to approve the unauthorised colonies. Mani revealed that he, along with other property dealers, had been trying to regularise the colonies, which he admitted to have been developed after 2018, but had been facing problems with the pandemic-induced slowdown in government departments.
He rued the losses suffered during the pandemic, before adding that the GLADA team decided to demolish the colonies just as the market had begun to pick up pace. Pointing out the government assurance on a one-time settlement that would regularise the buildings, he said, “We were assured that a decision in this regard will be taken during the cabinet meeting.”
“Earlier too the authorities have demolished two of our colonies and today they wanted to demolish the colonies at Durga enclave. We had no option but to oppose,” Mani added.
