Urban News

The Pioneer  08.09.2010

PNS | Dehradun

The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun has once again started a drive to rid the city of unauthorised commercial encroachments on the roadsides. The removal of hundreds of commercial encroachments from the roadsides has had a positive effect on the regulation of traffic which is chronically choked due to encroachments.

Official sources, however, acknowledge that encroachments being removed by the MCD are a little more than the proverbial tip of the iceberg because at least 200 bigha area of land owned by the MCD is presently under encroachment.

The MCD has been undertaking campaigns on a periodic basis to remove roadside encroachments. Fruit and vegetable vendors either extending their shops on the footpath or those using carts and setting stalls constitute the major proportion of roadside encroachments in town. The MCD has demarcated 13 zones in different localities of town for such small vendors but vendors selling fruits and vegetables on the roadside have not been limited to these zones. Roadside encroachments cause major disruption in regulation of traffic and neutralise the efforts undertaken by the MCD for maintenance of civic sanitation.

With the start of this week, the MCD began an anti-encroachment campaign under which more than 100 commercial encroachments were removed from the roadside on the first day. MCD officials aver that this drive will continue and fruit and vegetable vendors will not be allowed to put up their stalls in places other than those included in the 13 designated zones in town.

Goods of vendors running their business in prohibited areas have been confiscated and vendors penalised but despite these measures, it is unlikely that these vendors will stop encroaching on the roadside.

A vendor said that with their financial resources, they cannot afford to trade in designated zones which are already occupied by other vendors. These vendors pay protection money to the police and MCD employees to trade but they say that they don't like being the cause of traffic congestion on city roads.

They complain that if authorities provide them adequate space, they would not be forced to encroach on roadside but political factors prevent these vendors from trading in a legitimate manner. Vendors allege that a larger area of the MCD land is encroached upon by larger unauthorised constructions compared to the area occupied by petty vendors. MCD officials acknowledge that at least 200 bigha land owned by the MCD is presently under encroachment.

The Pioneer  07.09.2010

Govt land encroached: Admn fails to act despite complaints

PNS | Rishikesh

In spite of media reports exposing unauthorised constructions encroaching Government land bordering the Housing Development Colony here, the administration has taken no action. A prominent local public representative has allegedly facilitated these encroachments in Rishikesh by taking undue advantage of the lack of clear demarcation between the Housing Development Colony and the land owned by the Rishikesh Municipal Council.

Colony residents had also complained about the encroachment to the district administration officials in the past but the authorities have remained apathetic towards their problem. The encroachment poses a danger to residents as it may lead to water logging and flooding. Though the encroachment and unauthorised construction facilitated by this public representative is the most talked about issue among colony residents, the local administration has remained apathetic towards this blatant crime.

According to sources, a channel located at the end of the main road leading to the Housing Development Colony separates the estate of the colony from land owned by the local municipal council. However, as there is no clear demarcation of land ownership on both sides of this channel, this loophole has been capitalised upon by a prominent local public representative.

This politician has allegedly coaxed land grabbers to make unauthorised constructions and encroach on several bighas of land on the banks of this channel.

The unauthorised constructions on Government land along this channel have blocked the flow of water which has increased mosquito breeding, which may cause several diseases.

The residents of the Housing Development Colony have complained to the Sub District Magistrate about the encroachment and its repercussions on public health and safety. But people are not sure whether the administration will take action in time or will succumb to pressure by the politician allegedly responsible for these encroachments. Land on the banks of rivers and smaller channels are targeted by land grabbers due to the lack of clear demarcation of ownership. These sites are also prone to floods during the rainy season but the politicians continue to abet encroachment even though it is unsafe for those residing in unauthorised structures here.