A demolition drive against illegal encroachments was conducted amidst heightened security arrangements in the Mangolpuri area of the national capital on Tuesday.
A huge contingency of police force along with CPRF jawans was deployed to avoid any untoward situation that may arise due to the demolition drive.
However, officials informed that this is a regular encroachment drive as only shanties and roadside stalls in Delhi’s Mangolpuri area will be removed and added that the demolition of residential structures will not take place.
The demolition drive was announced by the MCD and two slots were given to the police to be prepared with all the forces.
It is pertinent to mention here that this is the second demolition drive by the MCD in the Mangolpuri area, the first one being held in the wake of the Jahangirpuri riots. The demolition drive is underway in the Y block of Mangolpuri and will go on till the H block. The bulldozer will demolish all shanties and illegal encroachments on the roadside for about 400 meters.
SHO of Mangolpuri Manoj Verma along with MCD official Deepak Kumar arrived at the site on Tuesday morning. According to them, the demolition drive is a step taken to increase the width of the road.
Rajpal Singh, the Chairman of the central zone of SDMC, while speaking to reporters regarding the demolition drive, said, “We are doing all these things for the convenience of the people. Some people have blocked the road by putting barricading. We will remove and free all the encroachment. People have cooperated, and we want to thank them.”
While the DCP of the Mangolpuri area, Sameer Sharma said that the anti-encroachment drive is being carried out under the supervision of the Delhi court. “High Court is supervising the demolition drive. The police force is present in the area and the situation is under control. We are taking precautionary measures and the MCD is cooperating with us,” he told ANI.
As mentioned before, a similar incident took place on May 10. Illegal encroachments were bulldozed in the Mangolpuri area of Delhi. Additionally, heavy security was deployed in the area to avoid a situation similar to the one that unfolded in the Shaheen Bagh area during the demolition drive held earlier.
