Over 2,000 illegal encroachments have been demolished as part of an ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the city launched...

Over 2,000 illegal encroachments have been demolished as part of an ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the city launched in pursuance of a high court order.  Till date, a total of 2,196 illegal encroachments have been demolished, 4,674 illegal encroachments identified and 88 buildings sealed during the drive which was launched early this month, Additional Chief Secretary Om Prakash said. 

2,196 illegal encroachments have been demolished

The exercise will be further accelerated and extended to new areas in the coming days with encroachments in gated colonies also targeted to be removed, Prakash said.  "Illegal encroachments from gated colonies will also be removed. If the residents of such colonies want to put forward their point of view in this regard, they can approach the courts of law," he said. 

For instance, if houses situated in Nehru Colony and Indira Nagar areas, which were developed by Uttar Pradesh Housing Development Board, come under the purview of encroachment, action will be taken against them as per the rules, he said, adding that a letter has been sent to the Commissioner of the UPHDB in Lucknow asking him to remove illegal encroachments from areas which fall under the board's jurisdiction. 

The exercise will be further accelerated and extended to new areas

Chairman of Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) Ashish Shrivastava, who also heads the task force engaged in removing the encroachments, said all help will be extended to the UPHDB to remove the encroachments. The exercise is being carried out under the joint supervision of the MDDA, Municipal Corporation and the district administration. Last month, the Uttarakhand High Court had directed authorities to remove illegal constructions from footpaths, streets and roads of the city within four weeks.