MCD evicts illegal squatters from markets

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has jump-ed on the eviction bandwagon. With six days to go for the Games the MCD has intensified the drive to remove all kinds of encroachment from the Games sites and surrounding areas.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has jump-ed on the eviction bandwagon. With six days to go for the Games the MCD has intensified the drive to remove all kinds of encroachment from the Games sites and surrounding areas.

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In separate instances reported from across the Capital, the MCD is removing vegetable and fruit vendors, squatters, hawkers and the like mainly from the area near New Delhi Railway Station, Chelmsford Road, Chitragupta Road, Basant Road among others.

“We have intensified the drive near the guesthouses due to security concerns. All the unauthorized squatters and hawkers are being removed everyday,” said Renu Jagdev, deputy commissioner of Sadar Pahar Ganj zone.

Several hawkers and squatters were removed from Lajpat Nagar, Chittaranjan Park, Dwarka, near INA market and Lodhi Colony on Saturday.

The civic body has started cracking down on illegal road-side eateries including tea stalls, chaat corners, barbers to remove encroachment from the “We are just removing all those hawkers that have been operating illegally. Our main aim is to remove encroachment from the city especially from the Games sites,” says a senior MCD official.

Though it is clearly a step taken keeping in mind the Games, some civic agency officials claim it is a routine exercise which was long overdue.

Although the Delhi Police says it has nothing to do with it, the MCD is blaming the Delhi Police for the drive.

“In various locations of the central zone like Lajpat Nagar, the police is responsible for the drive,” said a senior MCD official. Refuting the MCD’s claims, a senior Delhi Police officer said: “We are not empowered to take action against encroachments; that is the MCDs prerogative. We only provide them with officers when they request us for assistance. Currently, there is no such drive in place as far as we are concerned.”