NEW DELHI: While MCD’s anti-encroachment drive last month received a lot of flak from the AAP government and its MLAs, sources in the LG office claim that removal of squatters at public places was one of the main concerns of 70% of 51 MLAs who met lieutenant governor VK Saxena in separate meetings earlier this month.
Sources claimed that all MLAs asked for the LG’s intervention and “promised full cooperation” in the encroachment removal drive.
The erstwhile east, south and north corporations carried out several anti-encroachment drives in various parts of the city in April and May, which was termed as “bulldozer drive” by the AAP government. The Kejriwal-led government had on May 17 even sought reports from the three corporations of drives carried out since April 1.
There was no immediate reaction available from AAP.
Raj Niwas sources, however, claimed that “freewheeling discussions” with 51 MLAs in small groups, spread over 20 days since Saxena took over on May 26, established that encroachments and unauthorised occupation were a concern for them. The sources added that 46 MLAs had even given written submissions on the issue.
“Be it of vacant government land, roads, lanes, parks and even drains, the encroachment menace was flagged as the main challenge by 32 of 46 legislators. They repeatedly sought the LG’s intervention to solve this problem,” said a Raj Niwas source.
It was claimed by sources that 32 MLAs complained about “land mafia” encroaching on DDA land, illegal construction by “unscrupulous persons” and shops coming up on streets. “Animal barns” being run to encroach on land, unauthorised construction in heritage properties, footpaths and pedestrian pathways being used as parking slots by “used car dealers” and “scrap dealers” causing widespread inconvenience were also highlighted by the MLAs.
“Many legislators complained about illegal plotting of agricultural land for residential purposes and parks being encroached on by illegal Bangladeshi nationals. Illegal parking in school complexes and encroachment of parks for jhuggis were also flagged by them,” said a source.
Saxena sought “full cooperation” from the legislators in the encroachment removal drive, which would include a campaign to provide at least two metres of footpath, free from any permanent or temporary illegal structure, to Delhiites. “The LG hoped that there would be no politics over the issue and the MLAs, irrespective of their party affiliation, would cooperate when concrete steps were taken to remove the encroachments,” another source said.
