Indian Express 19.11.2009
Janakpuri freed of encroachments finally
MC goes ahead with the drive despite thumbs down from deputy speaker Gosain
A determined anti-encroachment drive today breathed a new life into congested Janakpuri market with its roads having been cleared of all encroachments and traffic movement streamlined consequently. “We have never seen the MC roads so wide,” exulted a shopkeeper apparently relieved at the successful completion of the drive.
The MC team today ignored the pressure brought upon them by deputy speaker Satpal Gosain, who on Wednesday evening had asked the MC officials to give one month’s more time to the shopkeepers to clear the encroachments. This area falls under the deputy speaker’s constituency. As if to send the message across, the MC even demolished 10-feet encroachment done outside the MLA, Harish Bedi’s office.
Today, a team of 300 persons, including 150 police personnel, today carried out a massive anti-encroachment drive in Janakpuri market and demolished more than 100 structures. The encroachments ranging from 10 feet to 20 feet were demolished and even the debris was also cleared within few hours. The operation was carried out under the supervision of joint commissioner MS Jaggi, who categorically told his staff that “pick and choose” policy will not be adopted and no one will be returning back empty-handed from the operation. The motivated staff thus provided the results despite the protests by the shopkeepers.
Most of the encroachments demolished were in the form of stairs, ramps or extended shutters outside the shops which had made the road very narrow and it was very often leading to traffic jams
Meanwhile it needs to be mentioned that yesterday in a meeting conducted in the Circuit House by Satpal Gosain, deputy speaker, MLA Harish Bedi and cabinet minister Hira Singh Gabria, more time was sought for the shopkeepers to comply with MC orders.
Commissioner A.K Sinha, meanwhile, had given two-day time for the markets where the shopkeepers themselves are demolishing their encroachments and for the rest markets he had advised that drive would continue as normal.
Jaggi, told Newsline,,”In the past, the shopkeepers used to mount protests whenever our teams went there to demolish the structures. But today we did not relent. Encroachments need to go from the city.”
