'Illegal' commercial establishments on govt land in Gurugram may face demolition

Gurugram, Jul 7 (PTI) Authorities are likely to initiate demolition of alleged illegal commercial establishments operating on government land in Sector 42 along the Golf Course Road here, with the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) completing the final stage of verification before the enforcement action, an official said on Tuesday. GMDA's District Town Planner (DTP) and Nodal Officer R S Batth has written to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) seeking confirmation that the land occupied by the alleged encroachments belongs to HSVP. Officials said the verification is being undertaken to ensure there are no legal ambiguities before the demolition drive is carried out. "Show-cause notices and restoration orders have already been issued in connection with the illegal commercial activities. We have sought a re-confirmation from HSVP regarding the ownership of the land. Once the confirmation is received, enforcement action will be taken as per the prescribed rules to remove illegal constructions and commercial activities," Batth said. The issue recently gained attention after a citizens' body submitted a detailed representation to various government departments, seeking immediate action against what it described as a large-scale illegal commercial cluster operating on public land near Krishna Hotel, opposite the Global Foyer Mall. The association has alleged that several commercial establishments, including eateries, meat shops, courier centres, building material outlets, medical stores and other businesses, have been operating for years on government land without authorisation. According to the complaint, a survey conducted by GMDA on June 9, 2025, identified encroachments on land falling under Khasra 535, 536, 537, 538 and 540. Based on the survey findings, notices were issued on January 13, 2026, directing the encroachers to remove the unauthorised occupation within 15 days. However, despite the expiry of the notice period, the land has allegedly not been restored. Devendra Kumar, a representative of the said citizens' body, claimed the continued encroachment has resulted in traffic congestion, environmental concerns and public safety issues, besides causing the loss of valuable government land. The representation submitted by the body was accompanied by copies of the GMDA survey report, revenue records, official correspondence, site maps and a list of the alleged illegal commercial establishments. The complaint also refers to a December 2024 Supreme Court judgment, stating that public authorities have a legal obligation to remove illegal encroachments from government land without delay. PTI COR ARB ARB