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DTCP demolition drive targets illicit structures in Saraswati Kunj

The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) of the Haryana Government has intensified scrutiny on squatters in Saraswati Kunj, Golf Course Road, Gurugram, demolishing eight illicitly erected buildings. Constructed without necessary permissions, these structures violated regulations in the licensed colony which is currently embroiled in litigation.
Over the past two years, the DTCP's enforcement team has conducted over 10 demolition drives, dismantling more than 3,000 unauthorized buildings. Despite these efforts, recurrent illegal constructions persist, prompting Monday's demolitions led by District Town Planner Manish Yadav, accompanied by a substantial police presence. Earlier, the DTCP issued show-cause notices and restoration orders, but lack of any reaction and the persistence of offenders led to demolitions.
Resident Dinesh Kumar lamented the transformation of Saraswati Kunj into an enclave of illegal structures over the past five years, causing repeated inconveniences during demolition drives. In response to these challenges, the DTCP has urged the deputy commissioner to fortify the colony's boundaries and curtail the entry of construction materials. To counter nighttime supply attempts for undetected material delivery, the estate manager is tasked with preventing transportation, and the DTCP communicated with the Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) commissioner to label such constructions unsafe, advocating necessary actions.
Established in 1983, Saraswati Kunj has been struggling with a legal dispute since 2004, when a cooperative group allegedly allotted plots to 9,000 applicants in exchange for funds, exceeding the colony's capacity of 4,000 houses. Despite allotting only 1,500 plots on the ground, legal complexities haven’t been resolved. In 2016, the Haryana government instituted a commission led by retired IAS officer SP Sharma to identify the rightful owners of the allotted plots.
This scenario underscores the continuous battle against unauthorized constructions, reflecting both regulatory shortcomings and the persistent resilience of offenders. The DTCP's multifaceted approach, involving legal actions, boundary reinforcement, and communication with local authorities, highlights the complexity of addressing long-standing issues in urban planning and the need for sustained vigilance and stringent measures to uphold legal and structural integrity in licensed colonies.

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