Probe finds 7 colonies illegal in Zirakpur areas

Tribune News Service

Zirakpur, August 31

At least seven colonies in the Gazipur and Nabha areas of Zirakpur have been found to be illegal during the ongoing probe by the administration into irregularities in the construction of housing colonies.

Mohali ADC Komal Mittal has found that most of the real estate developers have taken no-objection certificates for small pieces of land and later clubbed these to construct high-rise buildings. Also, most of the colonisers have raised structures on roads earmarked in the master plan in 2010. Officials concerned said the probe was likely to be completed in the next 10-15 days.

Officials of the Zirakpur Municipal Council are yet to provide the documents pertaining to several housing colonies which are under the scanner.

A month ago, Zirakpur Tehsildar Punit Bansal had sought details of ownership and khasra numbers of 23 constructions under the administration’s scanner from the Municipal Council Executive Officer (EO).

Sukhdev Chaudhary, president, Joint Action Committee, and other members had met Mittal and handed over the documents of about 20 colonies to the ADC. Chaudhary said illegal constructions had resulted in a loss of crores of rupees to the exchequer.

The Punjab Local Government Department has identified 59 illegal colonies within the Zirakpur Municipal Council limits. However, RWAs said the number was much higher than this.

Developers to blame

Mohali ADC Komal Mittal has found that most of the real estate developers have taken no-objection certificates for small pieces of land and later clubbed these to construct high-rise buildings. Also, most of the colonisers have raised structures on roads earmarked in the master plan in 2010. Officials concerned said the probe was likely to be completed in the next 10-15 days.