Gurgaon: The enforcement wing of the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) on Tuesday demolished 13 unauthorised commercial structures built on land designated for residential use in Chakkarpur, near Hamilton Court Society on Galleria Road. The demolition drive was carried out under tight security arrangements, with assistance from personnel of the Sector 29 police station. Among the structures razed were a chemist shop, a pet shop, and a scrap dealer unit.
Operation Supervised by Senior Officials
District Town Planner (Enforcement) Amit Madholia supervised the operation on the ground, along with Duty Magistrate and Assistant Town Planner Naveen Barua, Assistant Town Planner Divya Dahiya, and enforcement staff. The anti-encroachment drive brought an end to a two-decade-long legal battle. According to DTCP records, the licence to build commercial establishments on the land expired in July 2006, and no building plans were ever sanctioned for the structures there.
Legal Background and Supreme Court Directive
Cases of land acquisition and exchange deeds involving the land parcel were pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court as well as the Supreme Court. Officials said portions of the land were acquired by Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran and later exchanged with a private entity, triggering ownership disputes. Complaints regarding unauthorised construction had resulted in show-cause notices, restoration orders, and an earlier demolition exercise in 2023. Residents of nearby housing societies had repeatedly raised concerns over traffic congestion, safety issues, and commercial activity on residential land.
On May 14, the Supreme Court directed District Town Planner (Enforcement) Amit Madholia to proceed in accordance with Sections 3B and 10 of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 (regulating land use to prevent ill-planned and haphazard urbanisation), observing that arbitration proceedings between private parties could not stall statutory action against unauthorised constructions.
Enforcement Measures and Future Action
Officials said the demolition drive was preceded by a series of enforcement measures undertaken by the department over the past several months. According to the Town and Country Planning Department, a detailed speaking order had earlier been issued to the concerned parties, directing them to remove all unauthorised structures and restore the land to its original condition. The order warned that failure to comply would invite departmental action and recovery of demolition expenses from the violators as arrears of land revenue.
An official said Tuesday’s action was aimed at restoring planned land use and ensuring compliance with urban planning regulations. He added that similar enforcement action would continue against illegal constructions and commercial activities operating in violation of approved development plans across Gurgaon.
