DTCP demolishes upcoming illegal colony in old Gurugram

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Thursday demolished an upcoming illegal colony in Shakti Park in Old Gurugram amidst strong protests by the

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Thursday demolished an upcoming illegal colony in Shakti Park in Old Gurugram amidst strong protests by the owners and area residents. A large police team, which accompanied the enforcement team, brought the situation under control during the five-hour-long demolition drive, said DTCP officials.

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The enforcement team reached the spot around 11 am and demolished a house and around 2,000-foot-long road network. One borewell, few plinths and boundary walls were also demolished in the exercise with the help of three earthmoving machines, said DTCP officials.

RS Bhath, district town planner, who led the operation, said that the colony was coming up in the heart of the city over five acres of land in which houses, shops and other structures were being developed without any permission from the department. “We have demolished the structures which had come up illegally. However, some house owners and a shopping complex have obtained stay from the court so action was not taken against them. However, in future no illegal structure would be allowed on the land as no permission has been taken from the department,” he said.

Officials also said that a number of complaints had been lodged against this illegal development and a survey revealed that constructions had come up in violation of rules, and mandated demolition. The demolition drive against illegal colonies was started a month after this matter was brought to the notice of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

Bhath said that action had been taken against 70 such colonies in the city and over 500 acres of land had been cleared over which illegal developments were coming up on unlicensed land. Apart from initiating these drives, the district administration has also tightened the screws to ensure that land registries without no-objection certificates are not carried out as these lead to mushrooming of such unauthorised colonies.