DTCP pulls up property owners running commercial activities in residential areas

To curb commercial activities from residential properties in private colonies, the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) on Wednesday issued show cause notices to 29 property owners in sectors 82-83, asking them to stop the practice as it is against the rules and also causing problems for residents

To curb commercial activities from residential properties in private colonies, the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) on Wednesday issued show cause notices to 29 property owners in sectors 82-83, asking them to stop the practice as it is against the rules and also causing problems for residents.

DTCP officials said that they had received complaints from residents of Vatika India Next colony that shops, property dealer offices, clinics and similar establishments were being run from residential properties. (HT Archive)

DTCP officials said that they had received complaints from residents of Vatika India Next colony that shops, property dealer offices, clinics and similar establishments were being run from residential properties. A survey was conducted last week, following which 29 such commercial establishments were identified, officials said on Friday.

RS Bhath, district town planner (enforcement), said, “We found that people were operating clinics, property dealing offices, hardware shops and similar establishments. We have asked them to close these establishments; otherwise, action would be taken against them.”

DTCP officials said that they will be conducting a survey of all private colonies in sectors 81 to 95 to ensure that illegal commercial activities and encroachments are identified and stopped. “Such activities put pressure on infrastructure, such as electricity, and cause traffic jams. Action has been taken in colonies located in sectors 1 to 57,” said Ashish Sharma, assistant town planner.

In another development, officials said that a building in DLF Phase-2, where violations were carried out, was sealed on Wednesday. DTCP officials said that changes to the structure were carried out by the owner after obtaining occupancy certificate.

“The owner of the house had made rooms in stilts and extended the cupboards in the balconies of the floors. All these were raised in violations of the sanctions granted. The walls were removed from the stilts and the cupboard demolished using Hilti machines,” said Bhath.