NEW DELHI: A Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has already cleared as much as 28 lakh square metre of unauthorised construction and encroachment in the National Capital. East Delhi saw the demolition of maximum illegal structues. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur was informed that the STF, constituted in April following the apex court’s order to oversee enforcement of laws on illegal construction and to monitor the removal of encroachments, has cleared about 3,202 sq m of roads, streets and footpaths.
The bench was told that so far the STF has received around 7,000 complaints, out of which about 3,400 complaints were dealt with. Efforts were being made to recruit additional staff for the task force so that it could do their works expeditiously.“On perusal of the report, we find that the total area cleared from encroachment by STF under permanent structures is as high as 10,71,838 sq m. The area under temporary structures that has been cleared from encroachment is 16,99,858 sq m,” the bench said.
“This confirms the severe problems being faced by Delhi due to unauthorised construction and encroachments and the magnitude of the problem,” it added.It also said there was a need to protect and preserve the encroached land and areas which were retrieved by civic agencies under the directions of the STF.
“Since the commissioners of the municipal corporations are part of the STF, we would require the STF to look into the matter with due seriousness and protect and preserve the land that has been taken possession/retrieved from unauthorised encroachments. Needless to say, this also includes the roads/ streets/footpaths that have been cleared by the STF with the assistance of the municipal corporations,” the bench said.