Sector 53-54 furniture market to be demolished on July 20

The UT Administration will carry out a demolition drive at the furniture market located in Sector 53 and 54 on Sunday. Notably, the demand of the shopkeepers for allotment of an alternative site had earlier been turned down. The Estate Officer rejected the demand as the land upon which they were running their business was acquired in 2002.

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A total 227.22 acres (114.43 acres of Kajheri village, 69.79 acres of Badheri village and 43 acres of Palsora village) were acquired for development of third phase of Sectors 53, 54 and 55 and original landowners had been awarded the compensation as well as the enhanced compensation. Nearly 15 acres, however, were encroached upon by the shopkeepers in the market.

On June 22 last year, the Land Acquisition Department had issued a notice to the furniture market, directing the shopkeepers to demolish their shops and vacate the government land within a week.

In response to the notices, a delegation of the Furniture Market Association met the then Deputy Commissioner (DC) Vinay Pratap Singh. After hearing their grievances, the then DC asked them to file their individual replies, failing which demolition would be proceeded ex parte.

Of the total shopkeepers served demolition notices, 116 filed their reply to the Land Acquisition Officer while 29 shops were demolished for failing to do so on June 30.

The shopkeepers failed to get a stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter as the court upheld the Administration’s right to reclaim the land, having already compensated the original landowners.