241 flats illegally occupied in Giaspura, finds MC

LUDHIANA: The civic officials visited Giaspura to get possession of illegally occupied flats on Thursday. As many as 241 flats were found under illegal occupancy, which had been served notices by the MC.
These occupants alleged that Ludhiana Improvement Trust had shifted them here from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and were asked to stay in flats. They also alleged that they were told by LIT officials that they would be issued allotment letters by MC, but that never happened.

The officials have started locking the gates of these flats so that nobody could encroach upon the available flats. The department has started this exercise so that they could shift the people residing in houses near Jagraon Bridge to these flats.

The officials claimed among these illegal occupants some were allotted the flats on fourth floor but instead of staying at fourth floor they started living in flats on second or third floor.

Similarly, some alleged that they were promised allotment letters but now officials are asking them to vacate the flats. Meanwhile, some were allotted the flats and since they were big families, they kept their furniture in adjoining vacant flats and gradually shifted there. The residents claimed that flats are very small and it was getting difficult to stay in one flat for big families.

MC sub-divisional officer Kulwinder Singh said they have put locks on more than 50 flats under illegal occupancy as some residents started vacating the flats once they were asked to do the same while some are refusing to do it. He said a week’s time has been given to the flat owners and they will be removed forcefully if they don’t do it at their own.

Notably, the MC has recently issued notices to 107 families living near Jagraon Bridge because these houses will be dismantled for the reconstruction of one side of Jagraon bridge. The civic officials have started arrangements for the shifting of these families to Giaspura flats, but some are adamant and are demanding flats in Mundian Kalan.

But officials claimed that it is not possible to rehabilitate them in Mundian at the moment as flats are not ready for possession.

The MC officials had visited the flats on Wednesday as well and then they had asked the occupants to show their documents if they have been issued the allotment letters.