Kingdom of Dreams: Men seen removing steel from HSVP-sealed complex

An HT visit found people using hammers and saws to remove steel bars, pipelines and girders across floors and the roof of the Sector 29 complex.

Kingdom of Dreams (KoD), once an entertainment and cultural hotspot in Sector 29, is being stripped of metal fixtures despite the complex having been sealed by Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), with an HT visit finding 15 to 20 people removing steel bars, girders and pipelines from the premises.

HSVP sealed the 5.66-acre site in July 2022 after a dispute over unpaid rent, following notices issued to the operator since 2011. (HT)

The large entry gates of the complex were found broken during the visit on Friday afternoon, while several people were seen using hammers, iron saws and other tools to cut away steel bars and grilles. Loud banging could be heard inside the building, with people removing steel pipelines and heavy iron girders, including those holding the building together. They were seen across different floors and on the roof.

The Culture Gully, which once housed restaurants and cafes, has lost its sky-coloured dome, while iron rails and girders hang from its roof. Entry gates, large glass windows, fibreglass elephants and decorative carvings on the walls were also found damaged and decaying, with no security measures deployed at the site to prevent unauthorised entry or removal of material.

A woman collecting iron pieces at the site told the HT team that they gathered waste material and sold it to a Kabariwalah (waste collector). “We manage to earn a day’s living by collecting the waste material,” she said, while the men removing the iron and steel material left the site.

The security concerns had also been raised with police earlier. On September 15, Sanjay Chowdhary, suspended director of KoD, filed a complaint seeking action against persons unlawfully entering the premises or attempting to remove property. He also asked police to ensure that the HSVP-sealed premises remained secure and undisturbed.

HSVP had sealed KoD in July 2022 after a prolonged legal battle over unpaid rent. HSVP had leased the 5.66-acre plot in Sector 29 to the company for 15 years to operate KoD. The company was required to pay monthly rent of ₹36 lakh, with a 10% increase every three years.

After HSVP began issuing notices over non-payment of rent in June 2011, it issued a notice terminating the agreement in August 2016. The matter subsequently went to court, and HSVP sealed the premises in July 2022.

Last year, HSVP commissioned a structural audit of KoD by NIT Kurukshetra. The report stated that fires had caused catastrophic structural damage, rendering the site unsafe for entry or use.

Rakesh Saini, estate officer two, HSVP, said the matter was serious and action was being initiated. “We have decided to get an FIR registered in this matter. It will be ensured that no unauthorised person gets entry into the premises,” he said.