Gurgaon: The demolition drive in Saraswati Kunj, Sector 53, entered its second day under the supervision of district town planner Amit Madholia, clearing over 42 plots and demolishing nearly 650-670 illegal shanties spread across 4.2 acres along the Golf Course Road belt.Officials said the department of town and country planning (DTCP) will carry out more demolitions in the coming days as part of a broader effort to reclaim public land and curb illegal construction in Gurgaon’s high-value urban zones.On Monday, DTCP demolished nearly 200 shanties spread over 2.5 acres across more than 22 plots near Khatu Shyam Mandir in Saraswati Kunj. With the latest action, the total number of structures razed in the two-day drive has surpassed 850.DTP Madholia said the action forms part of an ongoing crackdown against unauthorised settlements and illegal occupation of land in the Golf Course Road region, considered one of Gurgaon’s most premium residential and commercial corridors.The latest drive follows a similar demolition exercise conducted on Feb 21 this year, when authorities razed nearly 450 shanties spread over around two acres in Saraswati Kunj.According to enforcement officials, the demolished structures came up illegally on notified land and internal road networks. Authorities claimed repeated complaints were received regarding fresh encroachments, obstruction of roads and unauthorised construction activity in the locality, and notices were issued before the demolition exercise.However, the large-scale demolition has triggered widespread discussion among residents, RWAs and property owners across Gurgaon’s premium sectors. Many are questioning why similar illegal constructions and unauthorised settlements elsewhere in the city remain untouched. Growing demands call for uniform enforcement and stricter monitoring of encroachments on public land, internal roads and licensed residential areas.“If authorities are serious about planned development, similar action should be taken uniformly across Gurgaon and not selectively,” said a resident of Golf Course Road.Another resident living near Sector 53 said illegal settlements increased pressure on civic infrastructure and traffic movement. “Encroachments have gradually expanded over the years and affected road accessibility, sanitation and security in the area,” the resident said.Saraswati Kunj too has remained embroiled in legal and ownership disputes for over two decades. The colony, established in 1983, has witnessed prolonged controversy over allotments and land ownership issues.Authorities said the cooperative group associated with the colony allegedly allotted around 9,000 plots in 2004 despite the area having a planned capacity of nearly 4,000 houses. However, only around 1,500 plots have reportedly been allotted so far.In 2016, the Haryana govt set up a commission to probe irregularities and identify original allottees. Since then, fresh construction in much of the colony has been restricted pending dispute resolution. However, officials said unauthorised structures continued to mushroom without approved plans or mandatory permissions. Encroachments were also found on govt land and internal roads meant for public use.
