Building branch fails to check ‘illegal’ security gates in Ludhiana

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, July 6

‘Illegal’ grill gates installed on public streets across the city in the name of security have become thorns in the flesh of the Municipal Corporation (MC) as despite its best efforts the Building Branch of the MC had failed to reign in residents with regard to abiding by directions issued by the Mayor and the resolution adopted by the General House of the MC in this regard.

In a letter (dated June 23, 2021) to the Assistant Town Planners (ATPs) of all four zonal heads of the building branches, the Municipal Town Planner (MTP) had questioned the failure to carry out a survey of all such security gates in the colonies under their jurisdiction to ensure compliance of orders with regard to keeping these gates open from 5am to 11pm and also to send a complete list of such illegal gates installed in colonies along with details of representatives of the residents welfare associations (RWA) concerned who were to be held responsible for non-compliance of directions.

“Since, no action seem to have been taken in this regard by your office and required information has not been provided so far, the intended action for installation of gates and violation of directions could not be taken against the RWAs nor have they been directed to obtain necessary permission for installation of gates on public streets with recommendation in this respect from police,” says the letter issued by the MTP.

Stern instructions had now been issued to the ATPs to prepare lists of all such colonies where one or more gates have been installed with special reference to those gates which remained closed round the clock. “The ATP and field staff would prepare lists of colonies where illegal gates have been installed, issue notices through RWAs to obtain mandatory permission from the MC on security grounds and also ensure scrupulous compliance of directions issued by the Mayor and the MC General House. In addition action as per rules will be taken for non-compliance and violations,” says the letter written by MTP.

The security gates, installed in the name of security, had generated a huge controversy between groups of residents with allegations being levelled that many gates were kept closed round-the-clock and vacant area behind the locked gates was being used as parking space or playing games by those residing in vicinity.

The directions for deployment of security guard from 11pm to 5am, if the gate was to be kept closed, were also being flagrantly violated.