GURUGRAM: A special team constituted by the department of town and country planning (DTCP) to monitor and stop unauthorised construction demolished 12 houses which were being built in Saraswati Kunj colony off Golf Course Road on Tuesday.
The team comprising assistant town planner, junior engineer and field staff identified 12 under-construction houses that didn’t have a building plan and mandatory approvals.
The DTCP had recently issued show cause and restoration notices to the offenders, but as the team found that the work was still going on , the houses were demolished using earthmovers in presence of a police team deployed to avert untoward incidents. These houses were being constructed by the locals in violation of norms and despite a ban on construction. The residents living in adjoining highrise buildings have been complaining about the unauthorised construction.
The office of district town planner has written to Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) for their cooperation and disconnection of electricity connection to these unauthorised construction and keep regular vigil in the area.
District town planner (enforcement) Manish Yadav said the team has been directed to identify houses where illegal construction is being carried out and report to him, after which notices and restoration orders are issued.
“There are strict instructions from the deputy commissioner regarding action against illegal construction in Saraswati Kunj. The department is continuously carrying out demolition and sealing drives in the colony. On Tuesday, the team used earthmovers to raze 12 under-construction houses. I appealed to the people not to construct houses without approval, otherwise people themselves will be responsible for their losses,” he said.
Saraswati Kunj has been under a legal tussle since 2004 after the cooperative group allegedly allotted plots to 9,000 applicants when only 4,000 houses could be accommodated in the colony.
