GURUGRAM: The state government transferred Gurugram’s district town planner (enforcement)
Rajendra Sharma to Mewat on Wednesday. The transfer orders were issued within two days of him announcing a month-long drive against encroachers and land-use violators.
This has led to speculations that Sharma’s new posting is due to pressure from the
land mafia.
Earlier this week, Sharma had devised a month-long plan to remove encroachments in the district through demolition and sealing. The plan was to be executed through the month of July, and was to even target fully built structures.
Sharma even shared a detailed plan of action with media through a press conference on Monday.
The action was to begin on Wednesday, with demolition in the Bhondsi area. A duty magistrate was appointed for it. However, at 11.30am, orders were issued from the office of the
DTCP principal secretary to transfer Sharma. As a result, the plan had to be scrapped at the last minute, while the officer received his transfer orders. He was replaced by Mewat
DTP Ved Prakash.
The speculation, that Sharma’s sudden transfer and new posting is due to pressure from the land mafia, arose after he issued a spate of notices to violators in recent months. An official revealed that over a hundred unauthorised establishments were issued notices for violating DTP enforcement wing’s norms for land use and construction.
Around two dozen illegal colonies and commercial establishments had been demolished since February this year. These included a dhaba on Delhi-Gurugram expressway, owned by the relative of a politician. It was demolished on June 9 and 11, along with 16 other such illegal structures.
Sources revealed even calls from a MLA didn’t deter Sharma from taking action on the dhaba.
On June 23, officials removed encroachments of around 45 shops in Block U, DLF 3, near Cyber City. Here too, some people claiming political backing, tried to interfere with proceedings. However, the drive was carried despite the delay, and continued on June 26, when 150 property owners were made to restore the roads.
Later, on June 30, the officials demolished an unauthorised colony in Bhondsi, named “Defence Colony”. Such drives were conducted in this area in the past too, but the encroachers resumed construction soon after. So, this time, officials demolished 25-fully constructed and lived houses.
Moreover, officials have now started recommending FIRs with police against the squatters, thus inviting the ire of the land mafia, who are involved in carving out illegal colonies.