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MCG demolishes illegal encroachments on Gurugram-Faridabad road
The stretches of Sohna Road, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, Golf Course Road, Rajeev Chowk, Sadar Market and internal sector markets are encroached by eateries and commercial spaces
Gurugram: An enforcement team of the Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) took action against encroachments and illegal occupation of government land across the city on Wednesday and Thursday, said officials. They have demolished 180 establishments constructed illegally on government land.
Officials said that they have started a drive to remove all encroachments from the key stretches leading to traffic congestion and accidents. MCG officials said that illegal vendors and shopkeepers have expanded their shops and stalls, resulting in narrow lanes and causing traffic congestion on the key stretches such as Golf Course Extension Road, Sohna Road, Sadar Market and other areas of the city including markets.
A team led by assistant engineer (enforcement) Wasim Akram and junior engineers Hariom and Vivek razed the temporary structures as well as an illegal colony spread across three acres of govt land in Gwalpahari, said officials.
On Wednesday, MCG officials also carried out an extensive anti-encroachment drive on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, demolishing at least 12 illegal structures that included eateries, tin sheds, workshops, vends and courtyards.
The stretches of Sohna Road, Gurugram-Faridabad Road, Golf Course Road, Rajeev Chowk, Sadar Market and internal sector markets are encroached by eateries and commercial establishments.
Hundreds of residents commute on these stretches daily and get stuck for over half an hour during rush hour due to traffic congestion on the stretch.
Nilesh Tandon , president , resident welfare association, Fresco Apartments in Sector 50 expressed concern about the challenging situation of crossing the road due to heavy vehicular traffic. “The number of accidents on the Golf Course Extension Road and Sohna Road are high and owing to its narrow width. Emphasizing the significance of the stretch, Tandon said that Sohna Road which is used by majority of commuters serves as a crucial link connecting new and developing areas in the southern part of the city,” he said.
Narhari Singh Bangar , MCG commissioner has formed separate teams in all four zones of MCG to take action against encroachments, unauthorized constructions, and illegal possessions. “These teams, led by officials at the Assistant Engineer level, are consistently taking action in their respective areas,” he said.
The MCG has carried out an anti-encroachment drive in areas falling under the 900-metre radius of the Indian Air Force (IAF) ammunition depot in Sector 14 and demolished 138 buildings and structures that were built illegally, said officials.
On March 1, two under-construction houses and three shops within the restricted area surrounding the IAF ammunition depot in Sheetla Colony were demolished. On Feb 22, three unauthorised banquet halls in Gwalpahari and Baliawas were also razed. The encroachments, covering an area of 5,000 square yards, had disrupted natural creek flow, leading to waterlogging.
To streamline building approvals, officials have asked the applicants to utilise the Haryana Online Building Plan Approval System (HOBPAS) through registered architects
MCG has launched a probe and have recommended action against one junior and two assistant engineers under Rule 7 (major penalty) of the Haryana Civil Services (punishment and appeal) Rules, 2016, for failing to act against the illegal constructionof unauthorised six-storey building in New Colony, despite clear directives from the chief town planner of MCG declaring it illegal.
However, no resistance by locals or any untoward action was reported in any of them. All the structures were demolished with earthmovers and the MCG’s anti-encroachment drive will continue throughout this week in various corners of the city,” SS Rohilla, the public relations officer (PRO) of MCG, said.
