Gurugram’s Sai Kunj residents demand removal of encroachments

As per a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application from the MCG tehsildar to the RWA, the width of the road in question (known as Road No 105 in revenue records) varies from 60 to 65 feet between Shankar Vihar and Sarai village. However, on the ground, the width of the same has reduced to less than 25 feet.

The Sai Kunj residents’ welfare association (RWA) last week wrote to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), asking for the restoration to the original width of the road from Shankar Vihar (near the Delhi border at Bijwasan) to Sarai village in Gurugram along the railway line, by removing all encroachments along the road.

The 60-65-feet-wide road has narrowed to around 25 feet, because of encroachments. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The RWA marked a copy of the March 18 letter to the Gurugram district administration asking for requisite directions be given to the police and the civic body for the removal of encroachments .

As per a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) application from the MCG tehsildar to the RWA, the width of the road in question (known as Road No 105 in revenue records) varies from 60 to 65 feet between Shankar Vihar and Sarai village. However, on the ground, the width of the same has reduced to less than 25 feet, causing massive inconveniences to traffic movement, allege residents.

“MCG conducted a survey of New Palam Vihar and Sai Kunj in 2014 to resettle oustees of Northern Peripheral Road (NPR, popularly known as Dwarka expressway), including this road. On the basis of the survey, we have been demanding the restoration of this road, which developed heavy traffic volume from the Bijwasan (Delhi) and Palam Vihar sides over the past five years, primarily after the Bajghera railway crossing, which has been shut due to a flyover construction. The MCG has ignored our demands,” Surender Chaudhary, general secretary Sai Kunj RWA, said.

“In January 2017, we filed RTIs to get details of the road — the width and the length as per revenue records and the 2014 MCG survey. On February 25, the MCG tehsildar, in response to the application, revealed the varying width of the road, claiming it was between 60 and 65 feet, but not the length. We have continuously followed up the issue of heavy encroachments on this road,” said Chaudhary, adding RWAs of Sai Kunj and New Palam Vihar will meet MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav on Monday.

Mahesh Kumar, a resident of Vasant Kunj in New Delhi, said, “Encroachments have mostly taken place here over the past 10 years.”

Lokesh Sharma, New Palam Vihar RWA president, said, “We want the MCG to remove encroachments and restore the road as per revenue records.”

“I will look into the matter and initiate needful action,” Yadav said.