Gurgaon: Residents of DLF phases 1 to 5, Nathupur and adjoining villages on Wednesday demanded an immediate halt to the ongoing sealing and demolition drive, calling for a govt policy to regularise existing homes and commercial properties instead of tearing them down.The demands were raised at a mahapanchayat organised by the ‘Ghar-Gaon-Shahar Bachao Sangharsh Samiti’. An 11-member delegation later met the deputy commissioner and submitted a memorandum seeking a policy-based solution to an issue affecting thousands of families.Jitender Yadav, president of the association, said the matter should not be reduced to individual properties. “This is about the livelihood and future of thousands of families. The govt should frame a policy that ensures compliance with rules while protecting the homes of local residents,” he added.Residents demanded that no new or old house be demolished without following due process. They sought regularisation of buildings constructed beyond stilt-plus-four floors on payment of prescribed fees. They also demanded that commercial properties and shops, including those on 18-metre and 24-metre roads, be regularised instead of demolished.Ishwar Yadav, another resident, said long-time residents were suddenly facing action over alleged illegal construction. “People want a solution, not confrontation with the administration. There should be a regularisation policy instead of demolition,” he said.The memorandum also sought recognition of ownership rights based on documents inherited from ancestors, without repeatedly requiring residents to produce fresh records. For families living on panchayat land for years, residents sought ownership rights on payment of charges based on prevailing tehsildar rates.RK Yadav of Nathupur said residents were not against enforcement but opposed “one-sided and harsh” action. Property owners, he said, should first be given an opportunity to explain their position and rectify deficiencies.Residents also sought a policy for PGs and guest houses in Gurgaon on the lines of Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab and Bengaluru.Residents from DLF, Nathupur, Wazirabad, Badshahpur, Sohna and other areas attended the mahapanchayat.
