IAF ammunition depot: MCG survey to fix compensation for illegal structures

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is set to carry out a fresh survey of all structures falling within the 300-metre radius of the Indian Air Force (IAF) ammunition depot in Sector 14 to determine the compensation amount that needs to be given to owners of buildings before their establishments are demolished, officials said Monday.

Under the Works of Defence Act, all constructions within the 300 metres of an ammunition depot are deemed illegal due to fears of a fire or any other untoward incident(s).

Also, as per a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of September 2016, no new constructions are allowed in the 300-metre-radius of the IAF depot.

The civic body had surveyed the areas last year to determine the exact number of buildings and types of properties, and a report was submitted before the district administration. The survey was done to help the district administration get a ballpark figure for compensation.

According to the MCG survey, there were a total of 5,978 buildings within the 300-metre radius of the depot. Of these, 2,889 buildings were residential, 1,958 vacant plots, 574 commercial properties, 477 mixed-use properties, 18 institutional, 13 industrial and 49 others.

In response to the district administration’s May invitation for objections to this survey, over 3,000 objections filed by residents.

“The latest survey will verify these objections, and further identify the plot size, number of floors and type of building for determining the exact compensation amount. Last year, we had invited tenders to hire an external agency for the survey and have finalised a contractor,” MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav said, adding that since the area falls under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the survey will be funded by the ministry, and that MCG was waiting for the money to come through.

“The MCG has communicated that a sum of ?3.7 crore is needed for the survey. A letter in this regard was sent to the MoD last week. Once the survey is completed, work on compensation evaluation will commence. Once this is also completed, all structures will be demolished,” deputy commissioner Amit Khatri said.

According to district administration officials, a meeting between representatives of the MoD, MCG and IAF was held last month, following which it was decided that the ministry will fund the survey.

MCG officials said they will start demolishing and sealing unauthorised structures in the area after the general elections.

Last year, MCG carried out a three-month-long drive to demolish illegal structures in the 300-metre-radius. At least 100 illegal structures were razed and another 200 were sealed amid heavy resistance from villagers, who hurled stones at the enforcement team. Aside from damages to vehicles and machinery, an MCG official’s arm was broken.

First Published: Apr 09, 2019 04:13 IST