Gurgaon demolition men beat retreat as Mayor’s ‘men’ protest

The MCG’s crack team — equipped with bulldozers and assisted with a heavy contingent of police — that had descended on New Colony to demolish an unauthorised building made a “strategic retreat” on Monday to prevent violence.

The MCG’s crack team — equipped with bulldozers and assisted with a heavy contingent of police — that had descended on New Colony to demolish an unauthorised building made a “strategic retreat” on Monday to prevent violence.

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A large number of people had assembled at the site to prevent the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) drive. There was tension in the air as protesters had come prepared for a showdown with the police.

The tension was diffused after the owners of the property in question agreed to file an affidavit to the civic body that they would voluntarily demolish the construction portion of the controversial building.

The building, owned by five persons, was coming up on Plot 15, New Colony, Gurgaon.

MCG officials said the owners of the property had taken permission for constructing a residential complex but were building a hotel. According to the MCG, the owners have been given permission to construct only two floors.

Madhu Batra, the wife of senior deputy mayor Yashpal Batra, is one of the owners. Nirmal Kumari, Dhanpat Rai, Seema Chhabra and Manoj Pahuja are the other owners.

The owners had allegedly obtained the sanction for the construction of residential units.

“The property owners have agreed to obey building norms of the civic body. They have submitted an affidavit saying that they will remove the illegal portion in four days,” said Sudhir Rajpal, Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon commissioner.

The enforcement wing of the MCG faced strong resistance from the owners and their supporters.

According to MCG officials, all the five owners had got their plan sanctioned separately from the civic body but later they joined hands to construct a commercial building in violation of the rules.