GLADA colonies: Poor enforcement of rules leads to encroachments, violations

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, March 7

With poor track record of enforcement and removal of encroachments in the colonies under its control, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), it seems, has given a long rope to violating and defaulting allottees.

As a result, encroachments on roads, streets and parks as well as violation of standard design and building bylaws in many GLADA colonies have assumed alarming proportions and the officials have adopted a “devil may care” approach.

Three recent incidents of encroachments and violation of building bylaws in Dugri Urban Estate, CRPF Colony and Dugri Bypass Road are proof of the sorry state of affairs with regard to enforcement and regulatory action on part of GLADA officials.

Area residents say nearly five shops were being constructed without any building plan on 200 feet wide Dugri Bypass Road. Rather than taking any action for illegal construction against the violator, the GLADA officials said a show-cause notice had been issued to the owner of the property as per the rules and further action would be taken on the receipt of the reply to the notice.

In another incident, a resident living adjacent to a park in CRPF Colony had encroached upon part of the park where a nurse/midwife was treating the patients on the cots put up in the park. Going a step further, another resident had taken possession of a 600 square yards park near LIG/MIG flats, while a portion of the road providing passage to the flats had also been encroached upon where a boundary wall had already been constructed and building material lied dumped for further construction of a room.

Due to little or no enforcement, violation of building bylaws and alteration in standard design (not permissible under terms and conditions of allotment) in most areas of Dugri as well as in Sectors 32 and 39 was rampant. A resident of a flat in CRPF Colony in Dugri Rajpal Kaur alleged that the allottee of a flat located below her flat had demolished walls for addition/alteration in his flat.

“As a result, walls in my flat have developed cracks, water pipe has started leaking and the whole structure of the flat is under risk of collapse at any time due to supports from under the walls having been removed,” said the aggrieved resident.

When contacted, GLADA officials said the encroachment within the park had been cleared, notices had been issued to the owner of the property where shops were being constructed and field staff had been directed to inspect and submit a report on addition/alteration being made in a flat.

‘Construction of shops sans building plan’

Local residents say nearly five shops were being constructed without any building plan on 200 feet wide Dugri Bypass Road. Rather than taking any action for illegal construction against the violator, the GLADA officials said a show-cause notice had been issued to the owner of the property as per the rules and further action would be taken on the receipt of the reply to the notice.

Sorry state of affairs

Three recent incidents of encroachments and violation of building bylaws in Dugri Urban Estate, CRPF Colony and Dugri Bypass Road are proof of the sorry state of affairs with regard to enforcement and regulatory action on part of GLADA officials.