Municipal corporations in Delhi plan next schedule of anti-encroachment drive

NEW DELHI:  The municipal corporations are in the process of planning the next schedule of the anti-encroachment drives in parts of the national capital where roadsides and public land need to be freed and cleared for smooth traffic as well as pedestrian movement, officials said on Monday.

According to civic officials, even before such drives were not a matter of “political slugfest,” the schedule for each zone was prepared a month ahead and the same process is being followed even now. “We will be identifying areas from where a higher volume of complaints of encroachments has been coming in to prepare the next fortnight’s schedule,” said a senior civic official.

The anti-encroachment drives by the civic bodies hit the headlines with the demolition carried out by the North corporation in Jahangirpuri, just four days after communal clashes broke out there on April 16. The Supreme Court had to intervene to stop the drive.

Rajpal Singh, chairman of South corporation (Central) zone, said that he will meet the licensing authorities on Tuesday to chalk out the new plan. “There was a long weekend until Monday so we will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the plan.

Also, we are waiting for reports of licensing inspectors on the areas that have already been covered to check if some portions have been left out, based on which these areas will be added to the fresh list. For instance, the drive in Shaheen Bagh last week could not be carried out because local residents and some political groups protested against the move. We will be carrying out the drive in that area again,” the chairman said.