Gurugram: Residents protest, seek curbs on commercial activities in colonies

GURUGRAM: Around 200 residents from DLF areas staged a protest on Sunday alleging rampant commercialisation of residential areas. Qutub Enclave resident’s welfare association along with the residents of DLF areas gathered at Ashoka Crescent Marg and protested against the opening of the warehouse of a food and grocery delivery app in DLF-1.

They complained that the bikers have been creating nuisance in the area with 60-80 riders of the delivering company loitering around, trespassing private properties and consuming alcohol. Number of accidents have increased in the area as delivery men drive rashly and pass lewd comments on the women, residents alleged.

Aditya Andlay, a resident of Block A said, “We will not let this become another Sadar Bazar. It’s a residential colony and should remain one. We propose to keep taking such steps to stop this nonsense completely.”

Swami Anant Narayan, a resident of B Block said, “Commercialisation of the residential areas in our neighbourhood is completely unacceptable. There must be a blanket ban on this kind of commercial or retail activity in residential areas. Countless delivery partners on bikes drive recklessly and dangerously in our neighbourhood day and night, leading to accidents and a security hazard for our community. These delivery partners park their bikes in front of our homes and are breaching our privacy.”

CL Kakkar (80), a resident of Ashoka Crescent, said, “I have been forced to stop going for my walks due to careless riding by these bikers of company, who off late have hit senior citizens.” The RWA claimed that they have been getting several complaints from residents against the commercialisation, which is causing nuisance in the area. Dhruv Bansal, spokesperson of QERWA said, “No commercial activity is allowed on this road as it is a residential area. Even when we have asked them to share documents from concerned department authorising them to carry out their business in the colony, they were not able to do so. After the protest, the management of company has assured us that they will shift its operations from the current location. There are few other such entities, which are operating in the colony, which will be served a warning notice by the RWA.”