12 illegal structures near airport bulldozed in Zirakpur

The district administration demolished 12 of the 83 illegal structures falling within the 100-metre radius of the boundary wall of the air force station in Bhabat village of Zirakpur on Thursday.

The drive began at 11am in the presence of heavy police force and officials of the Zirakpur municipal council (MC), and by 5pm, the five JCB machines pressed into service demolished 12 structures, primarily warehouses and godowns.

Many labourers were seen removing their suitcases, beddings and kitchen items out of the dwellings on the first and second floor of the godowns amid the drive.

Duty magistrate sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Kuldeep Bawa said the drive went peacefully. “We will raze shops next, and then residential structures last,” he said.

Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan had already instructed the team to ensure safety while carrying out the drive.

The owners of the structures facing demolition alleged that the MC pasted notices in the morning and started demolition minutes later.

Bharat Bhushan, a godown owner, said, “We were not told about the drive. The officials pasted the notices in the morning and gave us no time to remove our belongings. I have material worth ₹50 lakh stored in the godown which will be damaged.”

However, Zirakpur MC executive officer Manvir Gill said, “They all were informed about the demolition well in time. We had even demarcated the structures to be demolished a week ago.”

The demolition was to be conducted on January 7, then on January 20, and then Monday but had to be deferred due to cold weather or want of police force.

The Mohali administration had issued two-week notices to the owners of the 83 structures that have been constructed within a radius of 100 metres from the boundary wall of the defence installation near the international airport.

Following the orders of the Punjab and Haryana high court, notices were earlier issued on September 18, 2019, to 98 owners of illegal structures under the Works of Defence Act, 1903.

All structures constructed after March 9, 2011, in Bhabat village and after March 11, 2011, in Jagatpura village in the vicinity of the air force station in Chandigarh were deemed illegal by the high court under the Act.