Anti-encroachment drive carried out in Najafgarh, Dwarka, Lodhi Colony

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation had also carried out an anti-encroachment drive in Mangolpuri area.On Wednesday, civic authorities carried out the planned anti-encroachment drive in Najafgarh and SDMCs west zones, removing temporary structures and hoardings put up illegally at various locations, including Dwarka, Chaukhandi and surrounding areas.Videos of the drive and protests by a section of local residents were being circulated on social media.

Civic authorities on Wednesday carried out anti-encroachment drives at various places in south Delhi, including Najafgarh, Dwarka and the popular Meher Chand Market in Lodhi Colony, as bulldozers rolled down and removed temporary structures put up illegally, officials said. However, municipal staff and police personnel during the action also had to face stiff opposition from local people at some places.

The East Corporation's planned drive at Seelampur, however, could not start on Wednesday as police force couldn't be mobilised, area's mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said.

The fresh action comes a day after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation carried out a drive to remove illegal temporary structures and demolish a few brick walls in New Friends Colony. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation had also carried out an anti-encroachment drive in Mangolpuri area.

On Wednesday, civic authorities carried out the planned anti-encroachment drive in Najafgarh and SDMC's west zones, removing temporary structures and hoardings put up illegally at various locations, including Dwarka, Chaukhandi and surrounding areas.

Videos of the drive and protests by a section of local residents were being circulated on social media. In one of the videos, a man in Janakpuri area can be seen putting up a stiff opposition and saying ''notice should have been given to us.'' ''They (anti-encroachment team) would have to go over our dead bodies,'' he said, as a group of men and a few police personnel stood next to him.

Chairperson of SDMC's west zone, Shveta Saini said anti-encroachment drive was also being conducted in Janakpuri and Chaukhandi near Tilak Nagar. She said some of the locals protested in Janakpuri against the drive.

''The anti-encroachment drive was conducted despite the protest. We have removed only illegal temporary structures and kiosks. It is our duty to remove encroachment and we will continue our crackdown on violators,'' Saini told PTI.

Meanwhile, various left-wing organisations took out a citizens' march to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor residence to protest against the anti-encroachment drives being carried out by BJP-led municipal corporations in the city.

The march started from Kashmere Gate and was proceeding towards Baijal's residence when it was stopped by the police. According to the plan, action was being carried out in all four zones of the corporation, officials said.

In Najafgarh zone, action was taken at the stretch from Aakash Hospital to Madhu Vihar Bus Terminal and other surrounding areas in ward No 51S, while in the west zone, it was being done in Chaukhandi and surrounding areas in Ward No. 6S, according to information shared by a senior civic official.

''During the course of action, temporary structures were demolished while eight articles were also confiscated. About 1200 meters area was made encroachment-free,'' the SDMC later said in a statement.

A similar action was taken in the west zone areas too where illegal encroachments were removed from district centre, Chhoti Sabzi Mandi, Janakpuri, Chaukhandi and adjoining areas, it said. During the action, a large area was made encroachment-free. The SDMC team also seized a total of 71 items and impounded one vehicle lying unattended, the statement said.

Encroachment removal drive was also carried out in Meher Chand Market in Lodhi Colony area of the central zone. Here, illegally constructed temporary and permanent structures on government land were dismantled. During the drive, a road measuring 1.2 km in length was made encroachment-free. Apart from this, two vehicles were impounded while as many as 25 items were confiscated, officials said.

In the south zone, encroachment was also removed from Chhatarpur and adjoining areas. During the SDMC action, an area spanning about 6,000 metres was made encroachment-free and illegal structures were also demolished. As many as 21 articles were also dismantled, they said.

In the south zone, action was started in areas near Arjan Garh Metro Station, Aya Nagar Village Road, Ghitorni Village and surrounding areas in ward no. 73S, officials said earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, a senior official said during SDMC's anti-encroachment drive in New Friends Colony on Tuesday ''a tree had got uprooted unintentionally''.

Information in this regard was given to the deputy conservator of forests via a letter dated May 10 wherein the SDMC has ''assured the forest department to undertake 'compensatory afforestation of 10 number of trees' in lieu of the uprooted tree or take measures as directed by the forest department,'' the civic body said.

According to SDMC officials, a road stretch measuring two kilometers was freed from encroachment during the drive at New Friends Colony on Tuesday. SDMC had to return without executing a similar action in Shaheen Bagh on Monday following protests by locals and political leaders.

NDMC officials on Wednesday said they have written to police authorities for planned anti-encroachment drives in areas falling under the Karol Bagh Zone and Rohini Zone.

In the Rohini zone, action has been planned to remove temporary and permanent structures on a stretch surrounding areas of K N Katju Marg, it said. A force of about 400 personnel, including women personnel, have been requested for by the NDMC authorities, according to a letter written to the area's SHO, a copy of which has been shared by the NDMC.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)