Gurugram authority crackdown on encroachments upon green belts

Gurugram, July 1

The enforcement team of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) conducted a drive to remove encroachments from green belts along the South Peripheral Road (SPR) on Monday.

‘Locals taking rent from violators’

• The team cleared 3-km stretch of 30-m-wide green belts in Sectors 62, 65 and 66, and near Vatika Chowk. Besides, 80 nurseries, 80 shanties, few ‘Banjara’ shops and 20 building material shops were demolished.
• It was also revealed that local villagers were taking rent from violators for unauthorised activities that were taking place on government land. Strict action would be taken against them, officials said.

The team cleared 3-km stretch of 30-m-wide green belts in Sectors 62, 65 and 66, and near Vatika Chowk. Besides, 80 nurseries, 80 shanties, few ‘Banjara’ shops and 20 building material shops were demolished.

Owners of a few of these sought one-day time to clear the land. It was also found that people who had developed illegal structures on these green belts were removing their possessions on their own before as well as during today’s drive.

The demolition drive has been taken up by the GMDA to remove unauthorised structures along the green belts of SPR, as per the directions issued by its CEO A Sreenivas.

As part of the drive, 1.5-km stretch of green belts was cleared in Gurugram’s Sectors 58, 61 and 62, wherein 75 shanties, 30 nurseries, 15 Banjara shops and three permanent structures comprising shops and service stations were demolished.

“GMDA will continue to conduct such drives across Gurugram to remove encroachments from the city’s green belts to maintain their beauty and for developing them in a more planned manner,” said RS Batth, District Town Planner, Enforcement, GMDA.

Officials said violators were informed about the drive two days before their structures were demolished. The enforcement team would continue to inspect these sites, and an FIR would be lodged against the violators if any attempt to re-encroach green belts was detected.

They added that it had also come to their knowledge during these drives that local villagers were taking rent from violators for these unauthorised activities that were taking place on government land. Strict action would be taken against them, the officials added.

During the drive on Monday, various citizens present on the spot told officials about other locations such as Subhash Chowk and in Sectors 81-95 where encroachments had become rampant. The GMDA officials said taking note of these complaints, similar enforcement drives would be undertaken at those locations as well.