The Hindu : New Delhi News : Axe falls on Capital’s illegal floors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 30, 2007
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New Delhi

Axe falls on Capital’s illegal floors

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Demolition of illegal fourth and fifth floors, as ordered by the Delhi High Court, began in the Capital on Saturday with Municipal Corporation of Delhi squads demolishing three properties in Central Zone.

According to Executive Engineer (Central Zone) J. S. Yadav, the three properties were located in South Extension, New Friends Colony and Chittaranjan Park. The demolished properties were allegedly being used for commercial as well as residential purposes.

Mr. Yadav said there was some resistance from the people living in these buildings and floors but that was expected. However, it did not lead to any untoward incident. The official said the drive for demolition of illegal floors across the city would continue and that it was not a time-bound operation. Overall the MCD has identified 18,299 structures where illegal fourth and fifth floors have been added by the residents.

Meanwhile, former Union Minister Vijay Goel has sent a letter to Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken urging him to bring an Ordinance to stop these demolitions.

The BJP leader has also urged Mr. Maken to grant a general amnesty for those who have built the extra fourth or fifth floor.

Mr. Goel said that if the Congress-led Government at the Centre could promulgate an Ordinance to save farmhouses of rich people for one year, why couldn’t another Ordinance be promulgated to save the fourth and fifth floors of middle class people from demolition.

The former Union Minister argued that if any flats were demolished around this time of the year it would affect not only the occupants who would have no place to go at the peak of winter but also their children whose examinations are just weeks away.

Mr. Goel asked why the MCD had started demolitions in such haste despite having declared earlier that any action would be taken only after a survey of the entire Delhi.

He also asked the Union Minister for Urban Development whether demolition of the extra floors was a necessary condition to make Delhi a world-class city.

The MCD earlier had said the logistics were not in place to begin demolitions on December 3 as ordered by the Court. Prior to that, the High Court had expressed its displeasure with the MCD for not following the orders and had asked the agency to begin demolitions on December 3.

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