Vasant Kunj RWA asks L-G to step in, put stop to ‘illegal’ construction work
According to a senior South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) official who is aware of the development, the corporation sealed the building in January over allegations of illegal construction.
The residents’ welfare association of Green Avenue in Vasant Kunj has written to Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal seeking his help to stop alleged illegal commercial construction at a building in the neighbourhood. The RWA has alleged that the building owner was going ahead with the work despite South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) sealing the premises twice.
According to a senior SDMC official who is aware of the development, the corporation sealed the building in January over allegations of illegal construction. After the latest charges that work was still going on at the building, civic officials inspected the premises in February and found that the seal had been broken.
“We sealed the property again. We also demolished the illegal structures. We also initiated the process to file an FIR against the owner. The property owner is a repeat offender. We filed an FIR against the owner in the past as well,” said a senior SDMC official.
Located in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, Green Avenue has farmhouses measuring an acre to 2.5 acres.
Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said they have received a complaint and, accordingly a first information report (FIR) has been registered under appropriate sections. “The matter is being looked into,” Singh said.
Satyavir Singh, vice-president of Green Avenue RWA, said, “This is a residential area but the owner is constructing a commercial property. Despite action by the South corporation, they are brazenly violating the norms and carrying on with construction.” In its letter to the L-G, the RWA alleged that the demolition carried out by the civic body was “perfunctory, and the crew clearly were instructed not to do any structural damage”.
The owner of the property did not respond to calls and text messages. He was not named in the RWA letter.
The letter has also been marked to SDMC commissioner, director (vigilance) SDMC, DDA vice-chairman, deputy commissioner South zone of SDMC and SHO of Vasant Kunj police station.
Narendra Chawla, leader of the House in SDMC, said that he has directed the officials concerned to check if illegal construction was still going on at the building.
“The property’s owner was illegally constructing a school in violation of prescribed norms. We have received several complaints. So, demolition was conducted on February 19 in the premises and the property was sealed,” said Chawla.