Faridabad: With 1,500 cops present, 300 structures razed in Aravalis

GURUGRAM: As many as 300 buildings and farmhouses in multiple illegal colonies, spread over 90 acres, in the Surajkund area of the Aravalis were demolished by the Faridabad administration and the city’s civic body on Monday amid heavy police presence. Remaining illegal structures in the area will be razed soon, officials said.

The 90-acre land, on which the illegal colonies sprung up, belong to the state forest department, the tourism department and the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad. The land is notified under Section 4&5 of PLPA, which means no construction activities can be carried out in this area, which is part of the Aravalis.

The demolition drive started from Khori village. Though a large number of people from the village and adjoining areas protested against the drive, the authorities razed some 300 structures to the ground under the presence of a 1,500-strong police force. Policemen from adjoining districts were also pooled in for the drive.

“We wanted to free this land for some time, but Covid delayed the drive. During lockdown, some of these areas also came under the containment zones. Now we have started the demolition drive and it will continue till we clear all the land,” said Faridabad deputy commissioner. “Nearly 300 houses were demolished on Monday, while the remaining will be razed soon. The drive will not stop till we raze all the illegal structures.”

The deputy commissioner had earlier in the week held a meeting with senior officials of the forest department, the civic body, the tourism department and citizens to prepare a strategy to clear the government land in the Aravalis from the encroachers. “The illegal constructions started from the Delhi side and now it has spread over a large area in Faridabad,” said Yadav.

In February this year, the Supreme Court directed the authorities to clear the area from encroachers. “We invested our entire life savings to construct this house, now it has been demolished. Where we will go with our two kids,” asked Sushma.