Civic body keeps up pressure, 3 more illegal colonies razed

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 6

As the last date for submission of applications for regularisation of illegal colonies draws near, the Municipal Corporation has swung into action against unscrupulous developers in an apparent bid to build pressure upon them to fall in line and come forward for getting their colonies regularised. Close on the heels of demolition carried out at seven unlicensed colonies in parts of the city on Saturday, the MC building branch acted against three more colonies that fall in Zone A today.

Assistant Town Planner (ATP) of Zone A Mohan Singh, who led the demolition team, said roads, streets and sewer lines under construction were dug up, electric poles pulled down and some structures razed in two colonies at Gurnam Nagar on Jassian Road and Flower Valley on Kakowal Road.

He said under instructions from the City Mayor and senior MC officials, a list of 78 illegal colonies had been sent to the Commissioner of Police for registration of cases for violation of the PUDA Act. At the same time, a formal request had been made to the revenue officials and the district authorities to stop registration of sale deeds in all illegal/unlicensed colonies.

It was learnt that the MC had decided to adopt a tough stand against the developers of illegal colonies in the wake of poor response to the new policy for regularisation of colonies notified by the Punjab Government on October 18. The policy is aimed at providing a four months window to the developers for submission of their applications for regularisation till February 17.

There were some 150-odd unlicensed colonies identified within the city limits. Of these, the developers of not more than a couple or so had evinced their interest to get their colonies regularised till now.