SDMC conducts anti-encroachment drive in all its four zones

New Delhi, Apr 26 (PTI) The BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Tuesday cracked down on encroachers in all its four zones and removed temporary structures and illegal hoardings as well impounded vehicles, freeing a nearly five km road stretch, officials said.

The move comes after Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to mayors of South and East corporations on April 20 seeking removal of encroachments "by Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements" in their areas.

Last week, an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in Jahangirpuri area, which witnessed violence between two communities on April 16, had drawn widespread criticism. The Supreme Court had to intervene to stop the action there.

According to an official statement, the encroachment removal action was carried out in different areas of the civic body's four zones, including Palam, Tilak Nagar, Hari Nagar, Ring Road near Sarai Kale Khan, CR Park, Greater Kailash and Gurudwara Road among others.

During the drive, encroachment was removed from government land, especially from roadside areas, pavements and footpaths in all four zones. SDMC teams also removed vehicles lying unattended on roadsides and illegally erected temporary structures, the statement said.

SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan had on Monday said a month-long anti-encroachment drive has been planned to remove illegally setup structures or objects on government lands, roads and footpaths.

He had said the drive will be conducted in areas like Tilak Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, Okhla, Madanpur Khadar, Hari Nagar etc.

Officials said Suryan is also set to visit Madanpur Khadar, Jaitpur, Sarita Vihar on Wednesday to take stock of encroachment in these areas.

"The corporation intends to undertake such action in Vikaspuri, Keshopur, Sarita Vihar, Badarpur, Okhla, Greater Kailash, CR Park, Ambedkar Nagar, Dwarka, Palam, Vasant Kunj, Kapashera, etc in coming days," the statement said.

"In the west zone, anti-encroachment drives were carried out in Tilak Nagar and Harinagar. During the drive, illegal occupation was removed from public land. A similar action was taken in the central zone as nearly 1.5 kilometres of Ring Road (Sarai Kale Khan) carriageway was made free from encroachment.

"Temporary structures were demolished in CR Park and Greater Kailash. Areas which were covered were Gurudwara Road, GK-II, CR park, M-block GK-II, S-block GK-II, E-block GK-II, Chandan Market, Sanatan Mandir and surrounding areas of CR Park. Illegal structures of 189 square metres area were demolished while a 3.5-kilometer long roadside stretch was freed from squatters. As many as 38 items were also seized by the anti-encroachment teams," the SDMC statement said.

In the last four months, the SDMC has conducted anti-encroachment drive in all four zones and nearly 623 kilometres of road/footpaths were freed from encroachers, the statement claimed.

"In the west zone, 66.4 kilometres; in the Najafgarh Zone 162.9 kilometres; in the south zone 288.8 kilometres and in the central zone 104.5 kilometres of road were freed," the statement claimed. PTI AKM AKM TDS TDS