Gurugram: Demolition drives didn't pay off, illegal construction still rampant in DLF 1 & 5

Gurugram: Demolition drives didn’t pay off, illegal construction still rampant in DLF 1 & 5

GURUGRAM: After carrying out a series of sealing and demolition drives across the city, the enforcement wing of town and country planning department (DTCP) is still struggling to check building violations in upscale residential colonies.

On Sunday, the enforcement team led by junior engineers conducted a survey in DLF 1 and DLF 5 and identified several residential buildings, where unauthorised construction was carried out after procuring occupation certificates (OCs). The department is likely to serve show-cause notices on the violators and carry out another sealing drive within a week.

District town planner (enforcement) RS Batth said, “The team inspected around 12 residential properties and found that the owners had made changes in their buildings after procuring OCs. They have also violated zoning norms.”

A senior DTCP official said even after increasing the floor area ratio (FAR), the property owners are seen indulging in unauthorised construction. The department has prepared a list of such properties. “These property owners have carried out construction in the front and rear part of the plots, and even in stilt parking after procuring OCs in violation of the norms,” he said.

Last year, the department had increased the FAR of plots measuring 300 sq yards to 264%, and 240% for bigger plots. The home developers and plot owners association, which had initially raised a demand to increase the FAR, had assured the authority that it would check unauthorised construction, but it failed in tackling the menace.

Batth said the move was planned after the department received a series of complaints from residents about the spike in illegal construction in their neighbourhood and adjoining areas. “We are planning to launch the drive against such properties in a couple of days,” he said.Recently, the residents of DLF-2 and 3 had approached DTCP, seeking action against illegal construction being carried out by a few plot owners in violation of the building norms.