DTCP hires contractor to clear debris after Gurugram anti-encroachment drive

Waste removal begins in Palam Vihar; MCG declined lifting citing rules, debris to Basai plant as HSVP pauses drive pending court clarity.

The enforcement wing of the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has hired a contractor to remove construction waste and debris from internal roads of private residential colonies following an anti-encroachment drive conducted from April 18 to April 22 across 17 private colonies, where eight DTCP teams removed encroachments in front of over 7,500 houses, including illegal ramps, stairs, fencing, grills, private parks and car parking structures.

Drive covered 7,500 homes across 17 colonies; contractor hired for cleanup, while HSVP halts parallel action awaiting court directions. (HT)

The contractor has begun clearing debris from Palam Vihar, with waste being transported to Municipal Corporation Gurugram’s (MCG) treatment facility in Basai. The move follows MCG’s refusal to lift the debris, citing Construction and Demolition Waste Rules, 2025, and the Haryana government’s C&D waste policy, placing responsibility on the DTCP.

Amit Madholia, district town planner, enforcement, said the contractor was hired after obtaining approval from the director, town and country planning. “The demolition waste generated during the drive is being collected by the vendor in Palam Vihar today. The waste will be disposed of at the Basai plant as per the location suggested by MCG. In the next week the demolition waste will be removed from all the residential colonies as per the norms,” he said. However, the cost of contractor engagement is not known yet.

Madholia added that DLF has initiated waste clearance in DLF phases one and two from Saturday. “We are in the process of setting up a monitoring team to ensure cleared space on internal roads is not encroached again,” he said, noting the drive was conducted under state government directions in compliance with a Punjab and Haryana High Court order on the stilt-plus-four policy. Meanwhile, Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) paused its planned anti-encroachment drive, awaiting court directions.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has put its planned citywide anti-encroachment drive on hold for a day, citing an ongoing hearing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the stilt-plus-four policy.

A senior HSVP official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drive has been paused pending clarity from the court. “We are awaiting more clarity on the matter and the drive has not started today,” the official said.