Chandigarh reclaims 65 acres worth Rs 2,000 crore in Colony No. 4

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, May 1

Amid tight security, the UT Estate Office today demolished nearly 2,500 illegal structures in Colony No. 4 in the Industrial Area, Phase 1. More than 2,000 police personnel and 10 executive magistrates were deputed to carry out peaceful eviction from the colony.

Over the apprehension that people of the colony may cause obstruction during the demolition drive, the UT Administration had imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting a gathering of five or more people in 500-metre periphery of the colony. The police also blocked roads leading to the colony.

Vinay Pratap Singh, Deputy Commissioner-cum-Estate Officer, said 65 acres of land, which was reclaimed today, was worth nearly Rs 2,000 crore and the land originally belonged to the Forest Department and the Estate Office. The whole operation was carried out peacefully and without any resistance from the residents, he said.

He said special teams were deputed for helping colony residents in shifting and transporting their belongings. Free carriage transport service was also provided by the UT Administration for smooth eviction from the colony, he said. He said the drive started at 6.30 am and ended at 3 pm.

The UT Administration gave seven-day time to the residents of the nearly 40-year-old colony last week to vacate it as EWS flats were allotted to the eligible residents.

The drive was carried out with an aim to make the city slum-free. The next on the radar of the Administration was Sanjay Colony in the Industrial Area and Janata Colony in Sector 25 and subsequently, all other remaining slum clusters would be razed in the city, said an official.

Based on a biometric survey of Colony No. 4 carried out by the Estate Office, a list of 658 residents was sent to the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) on April 29. A camp was organised in the office of the SDM (East) for provisional allotment of flats under the affordable rental housing scheme at the Maloya housing complex.

Of the 658 residents, 299 came up for registration. Following that, a draw of lots was conducted and 290 residents were given EWS flats on a rental basis. Today, a camp was organised by the CHB at the Maloya Housing Complex for completing the remaining formalities/documentation and handing over of possession of the flats. About 125 officers/officials of the CHB have been deputed for early completion of the work and about 250 of the 290 successful applicants have been given possession. The Municipal Corporation and the Electricity Department are providing electricity and water connections at the camp itself.

Yashpal Garg, Chief Executive Officer, CHB, said nearly 3,000 small flats had been allotted to residents of the colony in the past nearly three years.

Park to be set up on 35 acres: UT Adviser

On development of the 65-acre reclaimed land, UT Adviser Dharam Pal said a beautiful park would be developed within three months on nearly 35 acres that belonged to the UT Forest Department. The remaining 30-acre land could be utilised for setting up SMEs for IT-related products or the piece of land could be auctioned for setting up a hospital. He, however, said a final decision would be taken in consultation with the industry.

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