In a major action against illegal encroachment, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Building department of the south zone under South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) cracked the whip against illegal encroachments in its areas.
Taking stern action, North Corporation on Friday removed about 50 illegally developed shops, including some decades-old ones, from Hanuman temple area at Yamuna Ghat. Besides, 25 jhuggis were also removed from areas near Hanuman Setu. The action has been taken by the Civil lines zone. However, the building department of the south zone under SDMC continues its demolition drive on the second day and demolished seven properties in Chhattarpur, Panchsheel Vihar, Khirki Extension, Mochi Gaon-Nanakpura, Begumpur Village, Kishangarh and sealed two properties.
North Corporation along with other civic agencies would beautify the place to make it an attractive and congestion-free area for the citizens generally and devotees in particular. A north corporation official said that about 25 illegal flower selling vendors were also removed during the drive. "The illegally developed shops and jhuggis were a hindrance in easy passages of the devotees to the temple," he said.
A senior south corporation official said that the properties have been demolished in such a manner that it further cannot be utilised and reconstruct for any purpose. "Official faced stiff resistance and protests from the locals and but still they kept on the demolition work with the help of police," he said. "We are committed to implementing the recently formulated action plan in true spirit against unauthorised constructions," he said.
SDMC official further added that the corporation has already decided to adopt zero tolerance against illegal constructions and has asked its zonal enforcement machinery to pull up its socks in order to propagate the need of planned development as SDMC is committed to stopping haphazard development. "SDMC has simplified the building plan sanction mechanism also to encourage people to get their plans sanctioned online without any hassle and delay," he said.
"The SDMC has made it crystal clear that unauthorised construction will no more be tolerated by the building department in its jurisdiction and will follow the enacted notified regulations contained in the Master Plan-2021 and Building Bye-laws-2016," he said.