The Hindu : Front Page : More illegal properties demolished in Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 22, 2005

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More illegal properties demolished in Delhi

Staff Reporter

MCD ignores Assembly resolution calling for suspension of the ongoing demolition drive

NEW DELHI: Despite the Delhi Assembly passing a resolution on Tuesday calling for an immediate suspension of the citywide demolition exercise, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday continued with its drive against illegal and unauthorised constructions in all 12 civic zones but with less vigour amid stray incidents of protests.

In all, the demolition squads initiated action against 60 properties during the day, demolishing 46 structures as against 90 properties each on Monday and Tuesday.

14 properties sealed

Belying all hopes of angry residents that the drive might be suspended in the wake of unconfirmed reports that the State Government would approach the Delhi High Court, demolition squads fanned out in different directions and pulled down unauthorised constructions. Primarily they targeted illegal commercial establishments functioning from residential areas.

They also sealed 14 commercial properties -- 10 in Rohini Zone and two each in Central Zone and Shahdara (South) Zone.

Stray protests

The fourth day of the drive was by and large peaceful, barring stray protests at Janakpuri where Nangal Raya councillor Meena Thakur and former BJP councillor Prithviraj Sahni were detained along with their supporters for a brief period for disrupting the drive. Similarly, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel led a group of protesters at Pitampura in West Delhi and later courted arrest. Elsewhere people came out on the streets and shouted slogans against the Delhi Government and MCD demanding immediate suspension of the demolition exercise.

The areas targeted

The areas where the drive was carried out on Wednesday included Greater Kailash, Lajpat Nagar, Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Rohini, Pitampura, Naraina, Model Town, Vikas Marg, Gujrawalan Town, Shakarpur, Paharganj, Burari, Derawal Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Gokulpuri, Janakpuri, Paschim Vihar, Bawana and Hari Nagar.

In Civil Lines Zone, action was taken against 16 properties, while 15 commercial and residential properties were targeted in Rohini Zone. Similarly, seven and four properties were pulled down in West Zone and South Zone, respectively.

`No political pressure'

However, senior MCD officials denied that political pressure was brought upon them to slow down the demolition drive. Asked why fewer properties were targeted on Wednesday compared to the previous two days, they said the pace of the drive was dictated by the size of properties. On Wednesday action was taken mainly against big structures located in congested localities that affected the pace of the drive, they claimed.

MCD's appeal

Meanwhile, the MCD has asked residents to voluntarily raze unauthorised portions of their buildings and stop misuse of buildings by reverting to sanctioned plans and stick to permissible use.

The drive has so far targeted only about 250 properties, while the MCD has served notices on 18,000 such illegal structures spread across its 12 civic zones.

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