Delhi mayors to intensify ’anti-encroachment’ drives even as Jahangirpuri case draws flak

Despite drawing heavy criticism over demolition drive in Jahangirpuri, BJP-ruled south and east civic bodies on Friday said they will intensify anti-encroachment drives in their jurisdictions and will continue to identify structures encroaching public land, as per news agency PTI report.

This development comes in the wake of chaos unfolding in Jahangirpuri on Wednesday when roadside stalls and shops allegedly built on public land were pulled down by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the presence of huge contingents of police and paramilitary, triggering recrimination among political parties before the Supreme Court intervened and stopped the drive.

South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations have said that regular meetings to identify encroachment sites and to conduct anti-encroachment drives are being held in both the municipalities.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had earlier written to mayors of both the corporations for removal of encroachments "by Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements" in their areas.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan said regular meetings are being held to chalk out strategy to remove encroachment from public land.

"We are going to intensify our anti-encroachment drives. No one (encroacher) will be spared. Today (Friday) also we held a meeting with officials and identified several sites in SDMC jurisdiction.

“More places are being added and by Monday we will have a final list and an action will then be carried out accordingly," Suryan told PTI.

When asked if encroachments will be removed in sensitive areas like Shaheen Bagh and Okhla, Suryan did not take any names, but stressed that encroachment will be removed from all places.

East Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Shyam Sundar Agarwal also said that anti-encroachment drives are already underway and will be intensified further.

"We have identified several areas where encroachment is a major problem which many a times lead to traffic snarls. Some of these locations are in areas like, Nand Nagri, Jaffrabad, Seelampur etc," Agarwal said.

He added that on Friday instructions were issued to deputy commissioners of Shahdara North and South zones to prepare detailed roadmaps and necessary arrangements for carrying out these drives. He said that people in the area will be informed about the drive through loudspeakers a day before.

The north civic body's mayor Raja Iqbal Singh had on Thursday said that following the Supreme Court's orders there will be no action in Jahangirpuri, but asserted that notices will be sent to encroachers in other areas falling under the municipality's jurisdiction.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Friday carried out a “routine” anti-encroachment drive in Sector-7 Rohini and removed some temporary and concrete structures to clear the road near Sai Baba Temple in the area, officials said.

(With inputs from agencies)