MC removes 4 more kiosks near Ram Bagh ‘deodhi’

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 25

After demolishing the nine kiosks adjacent to the wall of Ram Bagh Gate ‘deodhi’, the MC has now removed four more vends. Meanwhile, residents have accused the estate wing of the Municipal Corporation (MC) of removing encroachments around the deodhi selectively.

Some of the major encroachments, which deface the historic building of the deodhi, are still untouched. According to information, some of the kiosk and shop owners have got the land ownership documents of their outlets.

Kirpal Singh Randhawa, member of the encroachment monitoring committee of the MC, alleges involvement of the MC staff in the encroachments. “How can someone claim ownership right of footpath or road? If such shopkeepers claim that they have registered documents, MC Commissioner should mark an inquiry to ascertain how did they got the ownership of the public land,” he said.

The state government has been renovating he historical Ram Bagh Deodhi under the National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) scheme.

MC Estate Officer Jaswinder Singh said, “We are not selectively removing the encroachments. These kiosks are decade old, thus permanent encroachments. We got instruction from HRIDAY officials following which vends were demolished. If they will ask to remove more kiosks, we will do so.”

Meanwhile, MC has removed a vend near the district courts, which was opposite to the residence of MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla.