News: DTCP seals illegal flats Palam Vihar after HC notice-17-09-2024
The department of town and country planning (enforcement) on Monday sealed a building in Palam Vihar's C-2 Block after it was illegally de-sealed by the owner. The building, located at House No 913, had been previously sealed due to unauthorised construction, but the owner unlawfully broke the seal and resumed activities. Acting swiftly, the department resealed the property and heightened its monitoring efforts
District town planner Manish Yadav, leading the enforcement, sent a formal letter to the deputy commissioner of police, urging local authorities to ensure that the seals on House No 913 and another property at House No 1310 remain intact.
Both properties had been sealed earlier in June 2024 for violations of building regulations but were de-sealed illegally by the owners. Despite a resealing operation on Sept 9, the owners once again tampered with the seals, forcing the department to take further action.
The case is currently being heard by the Punjab and Haryana high court, which has taken a strong stance on unauthorised constructions in the area. The HC's intervention came after the local resident welfare association (RWA) filed a petition against illegal construction of 16 flats in 11 buildings in Haryana's Palam Vihar's C-2 Block. The petition highlights how several buildings in the block have violated Haryana Building Code regulations, with four-storey structures being built on residential plots, each floor containing four flats
A double bench of Justices Arun Palli and Vikram Agarwal has issued notices to the Haryana govt and ordered a halt to further construction.The court's strict directives have further intensified scrutiny on illegal construction in the area, with the DTPE's enforcement activities playing a critical role.In addition to resealing of the de-sealed properties, the DTPE also conducted a large-scale demolition and sealing drive in the Palam Vihar Vyapar Kendra Market. Illegal structures in the common areas were dismantled and unauthorised businesses, including a liquor shop and a gym operating in restricted areas, were sealed.
The HC notice and the DTPE's continued enforcement actions are seen as part of a larger crackdown on unauthorised development in Gurgaon. The local RWA has voiced strong concerns and the court has warned that any further illegal construction will have severe legal consequences.
As the case continues, the court has demanded replies from relevant authorities by the next hearing on Oct 28. Last week, the HC had sought a response from the state govt over the construction of additional flats and floors in residential buildings in Palam Vihar's C-2 Block in violation of the Haryana Building Code Regulations, following a petition from the local RWA.Jointly filed by a local resident Ravi Bhardwaj and 15 others, the petition flagged around 11 buildings — 979B, 921, 922, 924, 935, 913, 951, 956, 1251, 1226, and 1310 — in C-2 Block of the colony where four-storey buildings with stilt parking had four flats on each floor.
