Two hospitals face partial demolition

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, December 9

Illegal construction/extension on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road, part of a national highway, by two hospitals in violation of the PUDA Act is going to cost them dear. Both hospitals have been served with a notice. They have asked to remove any such unauthorised construction on highway land within seven days failing which the extension/construction would be removed and they would be liable to pay a penalty and face eviction from the said land.

The Executive Engineer, Central Works Division No. 1, PWD/B&R, Ludhiana in the capacity of Highway Administrator has served notices (No. 448 and 449 dated November 14, 2018) to Ludhiana Mediways Hospital and Global Hospital situated on Ferozepur Road here, charging them with unauthorised occupation/access of the land falling within 30 metres of the ‘no construction zone’ alongside a national highway.

In the notices issued under sub-section (2) of Section 26 of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act 2002, the highway administrator has directed the two hospitals to remove any such structure (on highway land) within seven days of the service of notice. “Failure to comply with this notice shall render you liable to penalty and summary eviction from the said highway land under Sub-section (6 ) of Section 26 of the Control of National Highways Act 2002,” says the notice.

The action against the hospitals has been taken on a complaint filed by the president of Council of RTI Activists, Rohit Sabharwal. In his complaint to the PWD and national highways authorities on October 30, 2018, Sabharwal had charged the two hospitals with raising construction in a ‘no construction zone’ in violation of Section 143 (1) of Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act 1995 (PUDA Act).

Quoting the relevant Section (143) of the PUDA Act as amended on November 22, 1995, through a government notification, the complaint said: “No person shall erect or re-erect any building or make or extend any excavation or layout any means of access within such a distance not exceeding 100 metre on either side of the road reservation of a bypass and 30 metre on either side of the road reservation of any such scheduled road excluding the parts of such scheduled road which is situated within the limits of a local authority.”

The Highway Administrator-cum-Executive Engineer of Central Works Division No. 1, Hardeep Singh, said the notices for removal of illegal/unauthorised construction/access had been issued to the hospitals and they had been given an opportunity of personal hearing to explain their position.

“Necessary follow-up action as per law would be taken against the violations in both these cases,” he added.

Structures on highway land

In the notices issued under sub-section (2) of Section 26 of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act 2002, the highway administrator has directed the two hospitals to remove any such structure (on highway land) within seven days of the service of notice. “Failure to comply with this notice shall render you liable to penalty and summary eviction from the said highway land under Sub-section (6 ) of Section 26 of the Control of National Highways Act 2002,” says the notice.

An opportunity

The Highway Administrator-cum-Executive Engineer of Central Works Division No. 1, Hardeep Singh, said the hospitals had been given an opportunity of personal hearing to explain their position.