Weekly drives planned to check illegal construction in Zirakpur

The Zirakpur municipal council will hold weekly drives to crackdown on illegal constructions in the town. The decision came on Tuesday after municipal council officials met Punjab local bodies department principal secretary Venu Prasad, who told them to act against illegal constructions in the town.

The Zirakpur municipal council will hold weekly drives to crackdown on illegal constructions in the town.

HT Image

The decision came on Tuesday after municipal council officials met Punjab local bodies department principal secretary Venu Prasad, who told them to act against illegal constructions in the town.

Municipal council executive officer SS Sidhu said, “Every week, our staff will conduct a ground check for three days and then issue notices and demolish illegal structures for two days.”

Sidhu said he had been receiving several complaints on a daily basis regarding builders constructing structures beyond approved sketches in violation of municipal building bylaws. “Besides, there are complaints regarding builders giving possession of establishments without procuring completion certificates from the municipal council,” he said.

The municipal council had received approval from the government recently to deny electricity connection to commercial establishments until a no objection certificate (NOC) is issued by the civic body. It was done to curb mushrooming of the illegal structures. The House has passed the resolution in a meeting this August.

As per the plan, the first drive to issue notices and demolish illegal structures will start from Thursday. “We conducted checks and finalised areas like Ghazipur, Peer Muchalla and the main road in Zirakpur for issuing notices. If major violations are found, the structures will be razed,” Sidhu said.

In line with state’s decision

Earlier, the Punjab government had said that the builders giving possession of establishments without completion certificates will be punished.

The move came after the collapse of a three-storey building at Imperial Society in Zirakpur, on June 17. The building was not granted any completion or occupancy certificate.

On October 4, three labourers were injured as a portion of a commercial building being constructed in violation of norms collapsed at Peer Muchalla in Zirakpur. The building had the permission for the first floors while its second floor was being constructed.

BOX: Completion certificate a must

Under Section 272 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, it is mandatory to get a completion certificate before the possession of an establishment. As per the Section 272 (1) of the Act, a builder must seek a completion certificate from the municipality one month after the completion of the building or execution of the work. Section 272 (2) of the Act says that no person can occupy or use such a building until the permission is granted.

In 2009, the local bodies department had instructed all municipal authorities to not provide water supply, sewerage connection, electricity connection and a no-objection certificate (NOC) to a building which does not have a completion certificate.

BLURB: Drive to issue notices and demolish illegal structures will start from Thursday