MLA exhorts residents to help rid Mohali of encroachments

Amid the ongoing anti-encroachment drive by the Municipal Corporation (MC) and Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh advised the residents to shun “kabzaaneeti” and help the civic bodies to keep the city spic and span.

“If we want to develop Mohali as a planned city and an attractive destination for IT-Hub, it is my request to residents, especially corner houses, to leave this ‘kabzaaneeti’ of erecting walls and grills till kerb channels on the road. It leads to fatal road accidents by blinding the motorists and also spoils the look of the city,” he added.

The realtor-turned politician comment comes after anti-encroachment drive encountered stiff resistance from property owners.

Officials said encroachers were exerting pressure on them by showing past court orders, argumentative lawyers and even bouncers.

“At some places, bouncers manned the area as an intimidating tactics, while at others, cars, scooters were parked in front of the structures to create hurdles,” said an MC official.

In Phase 10, anti-encroachment officials faced tipper trucks and trolleys parked on two ends of the road in a bid to stop earthmoving machinery from reaching there. Singh said for the past three-four years encroachments have proliferated no end under the MC’s watch.

“Unauthorised street vendors have taken over the entire city. No action is being taken against them for unknown reason. But now you will see, all of them will be removed in the next three-four months in a special drive Mohali will be made ‘rehri-fadi mukt’,” he said.