DTCP acts against 11 buildings over illegal construction in Gurugram

Six buildings in Sushant Lok 1 and five in South City 1 faced action, with commercial activity, illegal rooms and stilt-area violations found.

The enforcement wing of department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Tuesday took action against eleven buildings in Sushant Lok 1 and South City 1, officials said.

The department said it has surveyed more than 90% of Gurugram’s private licensed colonies and will issue notices over identified violations. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The enforcement drive against illegal construction and commercial activities was carried out by two teams of the department simultaneously and legal notices were issued to owners of six violating buildings in Sushant Lok 1 and to five owners in South City 1, department officials said.

Amit Madholia, district town planner, enforcement said that drive started in Sushant Lok 1, where a building with four floors was sealed for running commercial establishments such as a clothing boutique, a health care centre and other activities on different floors. The team also demolished additional illegal constructions in the stilt area in the same building. In another building, four rooms built in stilt areas were demolished, while illegal constructions in stilt area in other building were also brought down.

“Most of the violations were found in stilt parking areas where rooms have been constructed. The demolition was carried out after due notices were served to violators,” Madholia said.

Owners of some buildings also opposed the drive, and said that the authorities should have prevented the violations when these had happened, said officials.

During the drive, Madholia said an illegal gate installed in Sushant Lok 1 was also removed and an illegal guard room was demolished. “The right of way taken over by house owners, and encroachment of green belts was also removed,” he said.

The demolition drive in South City 1 was led by DTCP official Divya Dahiya, assistant town planner under whom the team sealed all building floors and a basement of a house in B block. In another house, the team found that a real estate office was being operated, against which action was taken. Another house in the colony was sealed after commercial activities were found operating on all the floors, said DTCP officials.

“We have conducted survey in more than 90 percent private licensed colonies in the city, and notices will be issued against violations. A large number of houses have constructed illegal rooms in stilt areas, which will be demolished. We appeal to house owners to stop commercial activities so that sealing is not required,” said Madholia.

The continued demolition and sealing drive in private licensed colonies comes after the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High court on May 29 this year, directing authorities to take action against violations and encroachments in residential colonies. They said Supreme Court has also recently directed that action be taken against building violations and encroachments in the city.