Gurugram: The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will be undertaking a fresh survey of the 900-metre area around the Indian Air Force (IAF) ammunition depot in Sector 14 to identify illegal constructions in the restricted zone, and will initiate a sealing and demolition drive later this week, officials said on Monday.
The move has come days after the Supreme Court (SC) sought a report from the district administration on the action taken against illegal properties in the 900-metre restricted area since 2014. The apex court had last week asked the district administration to submit a report by the end of this month.
In the report, MCG has to disclose the total number of illegal constructions undertaken within the 900-metre radius since 2014, the action taken against them, the cases filed against violators, and its latest status, said the officials.
“We are in the process of compiling the action taken report, and are simultaneously engaged in the continuous process of taking action against violators within the 900-metre restricted area. Since the issue deals with the lives of people, it is of utmost importance to the MCG,” said Gaurav Antil, joint commissioner, MCG.
A December 2017 survey of the 900-metre radius around the ammunition depot by the civic body had found 4,156 illegally constructed properties.
{{/usCountry}}A December 2017 survey of the 900-metre radius around the ammunition depot by the civic body had found 4,156 illegally constructed properties.
{{/usCountry}}The MCG officials said that the district administration has directed them to submit a report that would then be forwarded to the SC for perusal.
In March 2014, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had formed a high-level committee consisting of officials from the ministry of defence, IAF, and MCG to find a solution to the close proximity of residential areas next to the ammunition depot. Subsequently, the committee had advised to reduce the restricted radius from 900 metres to 300 metres in October 2014, which came into implementation in September 2015.
On February 12 this year, the MCG had registered a case at Sector 5 police station against 106 violators who had illegally occupied buildings, which had been sealed by the MCG, in the 900-metre restricted area.
An MCG official privy to the matter said that the civic body will undertake extensive drives later this week. “A fresh survey is likely to be initiated that will disclose the total number of illegal structures in the 900-metre radius, with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. In addition, provided there is police protection, a sealing and demolition drive will be initiated this week,” said the official.
In April 2018, an official from the enforcement team fractured his arm after stones were hurled by locals at him and his team during a demolition drive in the restricted zone. The drive was being carried out without any police protection. Since then, the MCG undertakes any drive in the 900-metre radius under heavy police protection.