Huda fails to remove marble shops

More than a month after issuing notices to 26 illegal shop owners of Sikanderpur marble market, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has failed to take action against any erring dealer. Dhananjay Jha reports.

More than a month after issuing notices to 26 illegal shop owners of Sikanderpur marble market, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has failed to take action against any erring dealer.

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Huda, in its notice issued on October 19, gave an ultimatum of one month to all marble dealers for shifting their shops to Sector 33/34, where they had been allotted plots six years ago.

The notices were sent after the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), which owns the land at Sikanderpur market, said the lease agreements of these marble dealers for use of land had already expired in 2005.

According to MCG officials, the shop owners were given alternative plots at Sector 33/34 developed by the Huda in 2005. But several shops did not shift and obtained a stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alleging irregularities in allotments of Huda plots.

"The Huda needs to solve the problem as the dealers have moved court against them. We have written and appealed to Huda many times to solve the stay problem," said Anju Chaudhary, joint commissioner (headquarters), MCG.

"Huda officials have no intention to take action against illegal marble dealers, who are enjoying good business at Sikanderpur and have also kept plots at Sector 33/34," said one such marble dealer.

Manoj Khatri, estate officer (EO-2), Huda, said, "We cannot cancel their plots at Sector 33/34. The 26 marble dealers have filed their replies and we are looking into it. The dealers claim they have got stay from the high court. We will hire a senior lawyer to examine their stay claim."