Indian Express 6.11.2009
MCD drive to weed out encroachments
The Municipal Corporation of Dehi (MCD) has decided to launch a special drive to check encroachments on public land in the national capital ahead of the Commonwealth Games. Officials in the civic agency said the drive aims to revamp certain areas in the vicinity of Commonwealth Games venues, by taking necessary legal action, which may include demolition of such unauthorised structures.
“We have already initiated the process and are planning to further intensify it. We will especially be clearing the lanes and roads connecting the Commonwealth Games Village and venues,” MCD Chief Public Relation Officer Deep Mathur said.
They said the department has constituted 12 special teams under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners of the municipal zones concerned. They said the department has received hundreds of complaints from the Delhi Police and residents regarding construction of unauthorised buildings and encroachments in different areas, especially the East and South district. There are 272 wards divided into 12 zones across the National Capital under the control of the civic agency. Huge infrastructure including residential accommodation, hotels, sport complexes, training centres and other commercial blocks are being constructed all over Delhi to facilitate easy access and necessary facilities to both athletes and lakhs of other people. “We shall also be carrying out a drive in Paharganj area to check misuse of public land,” Mathur said.
Special teams would carry out checks and see whether or not the owners violated building norms set by the MCD. In reply to an RTI query filed by advocate Vivek Garg, the Delhi Police said there are about 270 illegal constructions in Northwest Delhi and about 180 such buildings in North Delhi.
Police have communicated the violation of law to the civic agency and suggested appropriate action. In reply to another RTI application by Garg, the MCD accepted the presence of a luxury hotel on a land where it has not given any permission for commercial activity. A luxurious hotel has been constructed by a private firm in about 1,318 square metre plot in Shakti Nagar where MCD said “owner has no sanction for hotel construction.”
Asked about his response on this issue, the MCD spokesperson said, “Our zonal incharges carry out regular checks on any such activities.”
