Delhi Police say ‘not possible’ to provide manpower for eviction drive in and around Sarita Vihar

“It is requested that prior intimation of at least 10 days may be given to fix the date for encroachment removal drive in the area of police station Sarita Vihar so that sufficient staff may be given to assist the SDMC staff,” the police added.

The situation, however, led to apprehensions in the nearby Shaheen Bagh after south municipal corporation mayor Mukesh Suryan had told the media that Thursday could see an anti-encroachment drive there as well.

Several traders in the wood market of Shaheen Bagh were seen clearing the encroachment by themselves. A trader Shahazad Ali said that he was bringing all his items inside (which were kept on public land near the shops) as there was news that MCD people would come and take them away. “There is so much garbage near the masjid as well as adjoining areas which hardly gets lifted. The corporation should think about that also,” he said.

Another resident of the area Itteshan Azmi said that these encroachments would be back in a few days. “The bigger question is how encroachments have come across Delhi in the first case. Who allowed it to prosper?” he asked.

The STF was constituted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on April 25, 2018, to oversee the effective and proper enforcement of provisions of the Delhi Master Plan and the Unified Building Bylaws for Delhi, and to remove encroachment and unauthorised construction. Besides the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairman, the 19-member STF comprises senior officers from various local bodies, including the SDMC.

Around 1,28,079 complaints have been received by the STF till March 15 and action on 1,20,736 has been initiated. According to the DDA, 2,418 action-taken reports (ATR) were received during the period from March 1 to 15.

Since the constitution of STF in 2018, more than 4,200 unauthorised constructions have been demolished and more than 2,600 properties sealed.