Gurugram: Illegal farmhouse colonies on DTCP radar, survey underway

GURUGRAM: Several colonies comprising illegal farmhouses in Sohna are likely to face action within a week. The enforcement team of the department of town and country planning (DTCP) is carrying out a survey to identify such colonies.

“Along with ongoing drone survey of Aravali forest areas in Gurgaon, DTCP is conducting survey in Gairatpur Bas, Raisina, Kiranki and Bhogpur villages of Sohna tehsil to identify illegal farmhouse colonies,” a senior DTCP official said.

DTCP’s enforcement team will complete the survey in a week and show-cause notices will be served to owners of farmhouses that have been built without change in land use permission and other mandatory approvals.

District town planner (enforcement) RS Batth said farmhouse colonies have been built in these villages in violation of several norms, including the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975. “In the survey, the enforcement team is verifying all existing farmhouse colonies in these areas by visiting the villages, checking their records and all related approvals. If they are found to have been developed without permission, action will be initiated against them,” he said.

In the last four months, the department has not only taken action against unauthorised farmhouses, but also identified areas where the builders are trying to carve out colonies illegally. Batth said the builders are cheating the investors by not disclosing the legal status of the colonies and advertising connectivity to IGI airport, highways and other amenities.

In June, four double-storey farmhouses, spread over 10 acres of prime land in Gairatpur Bas village on the foothills of the Aravalis, were razed by DTCP. This was followed by another major demolition, in which some 80 illegal farmhouses being developed in two colonies of 30 acres each were demolished in Kiranki near Westin Sohna resort.