Illegal market that swallowed Tugalpur green belt removed

GREATER NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has carried out a week-long anti-encroachment drive in Tugalpur village, Greater Noida, known for its unauthorised market and mandi.
The demolition, including that of RCC slabs cast on drains and a number of illegal kiosks, retrieved about 10 metres of land which was meant to be a green belt. GNIDA officials said the drive will continue in the coming weeks in other areas.

“A 10-metre wide stretch of land, meant to be maintained as a green belt, was occupied by encroachers. Also, drains which were choked for years due to RCC concrete slab covers were cleaned after breaking the concrete,” said K D Mani, officer in charge of anti-encroachment drive in GNIDA.

According to Mani, the anti-encroachment team conducted the drive along with the concerned circle officers with the support of local police.

“Four JCB machines and a joint team of 25-30 officers of GNIDA, supervised by the OSD Dr Vibha Chahal GM (Project) Rajeev Tyagi, carried out the drive,” said Mani.

The drive, which was carried over two days, continued throughout the week and will continue in the coming week in different areas as well.

“We will be continuing the anti-encroachment drive in more market places, like Jagat Farm market, Sector Alpha commercial belt and the builders’ area in P-3 market, in the forthcoming week,” said Mani.

Earlier in April, a similar drive was carried out where unauthorised uni-pole hoardings in Shahberi, Greater Noida West, were removed. “The drive was initiated early in the morning around 6am so as to ensure that the work is safely executed before the morning traffic began. During the drive, which continued for a week, the team uprooted and demolished about 10 uni-poles to ensure the area was freed from unauthorised hoardings,” said Mani.