NEW DELHI: In a crackdown against illegal constructions, the Delhi government on Tuesday demolished a shrine built on government land in the middle of a Pitampura-Shalimar Bagh road.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the action was part of the government’s drive against illegal encroachments and aimed to remove obstacles delaying the road expansion project, which is expected to improve traffic flow on the busy corridor.
“The road-widening project is intended to provide a smooth and obstruction-free route for commuters travelling between Pitampura and Shalimar Bagh,” the CMO said. The demolition also forms part of a wider crackdown on unauthorised structures that hinder public infrastructure projects and affect road connectivity across the national capital.
The CMO said that the city government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal construction and encroachments on government land.
Notably, the anti-encroachment drive has intensified in recent weeks. Since June 1, authorities have demolished 94 illegally constructed buildings and sealed 114 others for violations of building byelaws and fire safety norms.
The government said the crackdown gathered pace after the June 3 Malviya Nagar fire tragedy. Since then, 63 buildings have been demolished, with the largest single-day action recorded on June 3 when 22 structures were razed.
Authorities have also sealed about 97 buildings during this period, including 79 properties in a single day on June 7.
Officials from the revenue department inspected 124 sites across 13 districts, taking action wherever violations were detected. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and other agencies are jointly carrying out demolition, sealing and inspection drives.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has said the government is taking strict action against unauthorised construction, encroachments and violations of fire safety norms while working to establish a long-term mechanism to prevent such illegal activities.
The DDA has also stepped up enforcement against illegal construction on its land by directing officials to identify buildings with major deviations from approved plans and initiate strict action. Architects found responsible for serious violations could face blacklisting, while Flying Squads and Quick Response Teams have been asked to intensify enforcement in development and land-pooling areas.