Locals clash with police amid anti-encroachment drive in Mehrauli on Friday.
Despite protests from residents, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) continues the demolition drive in Mehrauli on Monday, as per media reports.
Following violent protests by the residents, the DDA has been carrying out the drive amid police security. The demolition drive, which began on Friday, triggered strong protests from local residents and a blame-game between the AAP and the BJP.
The agitated protestors, mostly women, shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi government and the DDA, which comes under Centre.
On Sunday, police and DDA officials targeted newly constructed buildings near a power transformer, according to video footage doing round on the social media.
The process to shift the transformer sparked a protest with locals alleging that it would lead to a disruption in power supply. They claimed that it was a deliberate action to inconvenience the residents. The authority, however, assured the residents that power supply would be restored soon, according to Times of India report.
“The court has in the past taken note of the encroachment in the historic park in connection with multiple cases, and many people in the last few decades have built unauthorised structures, some, even five-storey or six-storey, in the area. A notice was issued last December and pasted on walls to alert people,” a senior DDA official said on Friday.
Nearly 1,200 square metres of government land was reclaimed during the anti-encroachment drive in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. According to government sources, the demolition drive was taken as part of a demolition drive that will continue till March 9.
Official sources said the ASI is also working in full swing for the G20 meet at the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, planned to be held early March, according to PTI. “The High Court of Delhi has, on many occasions, directed the government authorities to secure, protect and preserve the area falling under Mehrauli Archaeological Park by removing illegal encroachment,” the statement said.
“The department is taking the action to remove the unauthorised/illegal encroachment from the government land and also to secure the Mehrauli Archaeological Park from encroachment” it said.
Meanwhile, Delhi High Court on Friday directed DDA to maintain status quo with respect to Ghosiya Slum Colony till February 14. The slum cluster houses 400 jhuggis.
-INDIA NEWS STREAM