Screenshot of video of demolition underway at Chandigarh's Colony No 4. (Express video by Jasbir Malhi)The demolition of Colony No. 4 – the oldest colony of Chandigarh – began at 5 am Sunday in the presence of 2,000 police personnel and 10 executive magistrates. The demolition faced no resistance from the colony residents even as the administration had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC.
The decision to raze the oldest colony was taken to make Chandigarh slum-free but scheduled demolitions were put on hold several times over the last 11 years.
Seven days were given to the residents last week to vacate the colony as vacant EWS houses were provisionally allotted to them. Most of them were shifted to EWS flats in Maloya earlier.
Based on a biometric survey of Colony No 4 carried out by the Estate Office, a new list of 658 residents was sent to Chandigarh Housing Board on April 29. A camp was organised in the office premises of the SDM (East), Chandigarh, for provisional allotment of flats under the affordable rental housing scheme at the Maloya housing complex.
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Of the 658 residents, 299 came up for registration and the process of accepting applications under the scheme went on till about 1.00 am on Saturday. Following that, a draw of lots was conducted and 290 residents were given EWS flats on a rental basis.
As per the prohibitory orders issued by the Chandigarh administration, the assembly of five or more persons in the colony and within 500 metres of its periphery is barred. The police announced traffic restrictions on routes going towards the colony.
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