Gurgaon: Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised settlements along the Golf Course Road belt, district authorities on Saturday carried out a demolition drive in Saraswati Kunj, Sector 53, razing nearly 450 shanties spread over nearly two acres.
The operation, conducted on Feb 21 with police assistance from Sector 53 police station, was completed without any major law and order issues, officials said.Enforcement teams said the structures had come up illegally on notified land and were removed following complaints and prior notices. Officials said the action was aimed at preventing further encroachment and protecting public land and road access in the area.Saraswati Kunj, established in 1983, has been affected by legal and ownership disputes for over two decades. In 2004, its cooperative group allegedly allotted nearly 9,000 plots despite a capacity of about 4,000 houses, while only around 1,500 plots have been allotted so far. In 2016, the Haryana govt set up a commission to examine irregularities and identify original allottees. Authorities have since barred fresh construction pending resolution of the disputes.Despite the restrictions, unauthorised structures have continued to come up without approved building plans or mandatory permissions. Officials said several encroachments were found on govt land and on the internal roads meant for public movement.In Sept last year, the department of town and country planning demolished nearly 350 shanties, two under-construction houses and a boundary wall in the colony. Similar drives were also conducted in June, during which illegal houses were demolished and buildings sealed.Officials said Saturday’s action was in continuation of these efforts. “Encroachments and unauthorised constructions in disputed colonies are being monitored closely. Action is taken after due process to ensure public land and access routes remain free,” an official said.With litigation over plot ownership and layout approvals still unresolved, authorities reiterated that any construction in Saraswati Kunj without valid permissions remains illegal and liable for demolition.
