Continuing its sealing drive against squatters, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Thursday sealed 152 business establishments in Rangpuri on NH 8 in Najafgarh.
A senior SDMC official said the action was taken on the direction of the Supreme Court Appointed Monitoring Committee. “The building department sealed many establishments, including some well-known showrooms, eateries and shopping complexes. Prominent among them are Adidas, Puma, Nike, Octave, Mother Care, Shokeen Properties, Geetanjali Saloon and a number of motor bike and car showrooms.”
The official said sealing and anti-encroachment drive was taken in all four zones under SDMC on Thursday. The civic body demolished 131 permanent and non-permanent structures in Raja Ram Marg, Khanpur Sabzi Mandi Chowk, Pushpa Bhavan traffic signal, Ring Road from Hyatt Hotel to Dhaula Kuan, Uttam Nagar Terminal traffic signal to Dwarka Mod, Raghubir Nagar and Mayapuri Press Colony, Batra Hospital to Badarpur underpass.
In the drive, 38 vehicles were impounded and 19 km of stretches were cleared of encroachment. “Further, 12 vehicles were challaned by traffic police for parking on roads,” he said.
According to an SDMC official, the drive took a violent turn after locals got into scuffle with officials but later the situation was brought under control by police. Shop owners alleged they were not given prior notices before sealing. However, civic body officials defended their action saying it was taken on instruction of special task force.
He added the similar drives were also taken on busy stretches comes under SDMC’s jurisdiction in which 131 articles such as iron counters, stairs, rehris, chappars, Rickshawas and other items were seized .
Meanwhile, north and east corporations also conducted a similar drive in its areas. The north corporation also impounded 58 vehicles from all its six zones besides removing encroachments from several stretches. East Corporation also impounded 22 Vehicles in a drive conducted from Jafrabad main road to Vijay Park and Pilli Mitti Janta colony to Babarpur Bus terminal.
Thousands of shops have been sealed since December last year in the national capital. The building department of the municipal corporations had started sealing business establishments for a number of reasons including non-payment of conversion charges, encroachment and illegal construction on the instructions of the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee.