Gurugram residents protest demolition of vend at housing society

Residents of Ansal’s Valley View estate society met town and country planning department (DTCP) officials on Wednesday to protest against the demolition of a convenience shop inside the apartment complex.

Members of the residents’ welfare association (RWA) also submitted a letter of consent that was granted by the DTCP itself in 2007 to set up a food/vegetable and milk vend inside the complex. They said the DTCP officials have now asked the RWA to submit a proposal for getting the design of the proposed vend approved to run it legally.

“A delegation from the condominium today presented the written order received in 2007 and also expressed the distress which was caused to people after the shop was demolished. The drive could have been avoided. We had the requisite permission but no time was given to the RWA to explain the situation,” said Anuj Mishra, president, RWA, Valley View estate.

The members of the association further alleged that the notice, which was issued by DTCP officials, was addressed to the developer, milk supplier and the shop owner but not the RWA, which maintains the complex.

Mishra said that they had received permission for the vend in the society, located on Gurugram-Faridabad Road, in 2007 and two shops were set up in 2008 to sell milk and vegetables.

“In January 2018, we decided to appoint a new vendor in place of the existing operator. However, a host of problems cropped up after this move.The only mistake of the RWA was that the design of the vend was not approved, but this should not be a reason for demolishing such an old structure,” he added.

DTCP officials said that they had received a complaint in this regard from the deputy commissioner’s office and the RWA did not show any document to prove their case. However, in light of the permission granted by them in 2007, they have asked the RWA to get the approval for design of the vend.

“The residents of Valley View estate met me today and I advised them to get the design of the structure approved to set up the vend,” BK Saini, senior town planner, Gurugram, said.