Joint op clears encroachments from govt land

Gurgaon: A joint enforcement drive by GMDA, Crime Branch and the city police cleared encroachments from nearly 0.5 acres of govt land in Sector 63 on Sunday. The land parcel, spread across Ullahwas and Kadarpur villages, was under illegal occupation for years.

Authorities said the site had turned into a hub of unauthorised activity, with around 50 shanties, two scrap godowns and multiple illegal borewells operating on the site.

Inputs from the Crime Branch flagged that the borewells were being used to run an illegal water supply network allegedly controlled by a local operator, identified as Nilesh alias ‘Bander’ from Kadarpur. Police said he has at least five FIRs registered against him in cases related to snatching and extortion. Officials also cited possible possession of illegal weapons as a factor behind the coordinated action plan.

The site was inspected twice by GMDA’s district town planner (enforcement), RS Batth, following which a demolition strategy was prepared. The drive was carried out by a joint team of the GMDA’s enforcement wing, MCG and officers from the CIA Sector 31 unit and Sector 65 police station.

Nearly 100 police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the operation. All illegal structures, including shanties and scrap units, were demolished, and the encroachment was cleared, officials said.

The reclaimed land falls in a designated bandh or no-development zone, which is now planned to be developed as a green belt along with supporting infrastructure. Officials said the move will help improve drainage and strengthen urban planning in the area.

Reiterating its stance, a GMDA official said that there is a zero-tolerance policy against encroachments and unauthorised occupation of public land.

“The authority will continue to undertake such drives in coordination with law enforcement agencies to curb land mafia activities and ensure public land is preserved for planned development,” Batth said.