HSVP to remove encroachments in Gurugram Sector 29

The Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) will carry out a drive against encroachments in Sector 29 starting next week. Action is being taken after a local resident lodged a complaint at the CM window last year, and the newly appointed estate officer-II looked into the status of pending complaints from CM Window. He found that despite being ordered to act, the matter had been delayed by over 18 months.

Officials privy to the matter cited non-availability of police or a duty magistrate “on multiple occasions” for the delay in removing encroachments from Sector 29—a food and recreation hot spot which has a large number of restaurants, bars and pubs particularly frequented by crowds on weekends.

Surender Singh, a resident of Saini Khaira village close to Sector 29, said he had lodged the complaint in January last year as all the open space in the Sector 29 market has been encroached upon. “The footpaths are non-existent, the green belts have been converted into parking areas by different establishments and path in front of the shops has been covered,” he said.

Saini also said that in the evening, the footpaths are choked with cars, diesel generators are installed in open areas and the authorities have not looked into the problem despite the complaint. “A large green belt in the area has also been encroached upon. The authority only issues notices; no action is taken,” he said.

When asked about the matter, Sanjeev Singla, who recently became the estate officer-II, HSVP, Gururgam, said all encroachments would be removed. “This matter has just come to my notice and we will carry out an anti-encroachment drive and undo all violations next week. This time, the drive will be conducted under my supervision,” he said.

The last time an anti-encroachment drive was carried out in Sector 29 was in September 2015.