GURUGRAM: Owners of 600 properties in DLF-3 have till the first week of March to restore the buildings to their original structures, failing which action will be taken, the department of town and country planning (DTCP) has said in notices issued to them.
Action could include revoking occupancy certificates and registry, sealing property and disconnecting water and sewer lines to the building.
DTCP officials said on Tuesday that the owners of 600 properties were initially issued show-cause notices and could not give satisfactory responses on illegal construction or use of the residential buildings for commercial purposes.
The next stage of enforcement is the restoration notices, which gives the owners one to two weeks to revert the buildings to their original form and shut down commercial activities.
“Restoration orders have been issued to 600 buildings, and we will ensure compliance as per the high court’s directions. Non-compliance will lead to strict legal action, including sealing and utility disconnections,” said Amit Madholia, district town planner (enforcement).
The department’s crackdown began as the Punjab and Haryana high court heard a petition by a DLF resident about building code violations in the area.
On HC’s orders, 15,000 properties across DLF 1-5 were inspected by the department. Of these, norms were found to have been flouted at 4,200 properties.
A significant chunk of the violations was spotted at properties allotted for economically weaker sections (EWS). In most of these cases, these 60-sq yard plots were illegally developed into multi-storied buildings, some reaching up to eight floors. These buildings were often used as paying-guest facilities or rented out to businesses, going against their purpose to provide affordable housing,
On another 500 properties, the owners had illegally constructed rooms in stilt areas, covered backyards, enclosed ventilation cut-outs and expanded rooftops.
Such illegal construction didn’t just alter the area’s planned structure, but also strained civic infrastructure, leading to parking chaos and sewage overflows apart from breaching safety norms.
While some property owners object to DTCP’s action, other residents support this crackdown.
“This action was long due. Unchecked illegal construction has made this area unlivable. Roads are choked, parking is a nightmare and basic civic infrastructure is overburdened. We welcome this move by the authorities as it will restore some order and bring back the residential character of our neighborhood,” said Rajiv Malhotra, a resident of DLF-3.
