In a major crackdown on illegal construction in Economically Weaker Section (EWS) houses in licensed colonies of Gurugram, the enforcement wing of the Department of Town and Country Planning has initiated cancellation of occupation certificates and snapping of water and power connections to 177 such houses in the posh DLF area.
District Town Planner (Enforcement) Ved Prakash, said he had written to the planning wing of the department seeking cancellation of occupation certificates of 177 EWS-category houses in three blocks in DLF Phase-III and two blocks in Phase-V.
‘Gross violation’
“Though the EWS houses, with an area of 60 sq yards, are permitted to construct four storeys, many have added one to three additional floors in gross violation of the building plans,” he said.
Mr. Prakash said that illegal construction beyond permissible limits had not just led to increase in population density in these areas, putting an unwanted burden on infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity, but also posed a danger of possible building collapse.
He said the department had also written to the developer, DLF, to cut the water and power connections to these houses. “Since these houses are built adjacent to other houses, it is not possible to demolish the unauthorised construction in most of the cases. Hence, cancellation of the occupation certificates and snapping power and water supply could be a way out to deter illegal construction,” said Mr. Prakash.
Earlier, four EWS category houses were sealed for unauthorised construction in DLF Phase-IV and an FIR was lodged in a separate case.
He said that the department was strict on illegal construction and would continue the crackdown. “The issue of illegal construction in EWS houses came to my notice after I was transferred here two months ago. Taking a strict view, a survey was then carried out to know the extent of problem and a plan was chalked out to carry out the demolition in a phased manner,” said Mr. Prakash.
