Ludhiana: Planning authorities launched a major enforcement campaign on Wednesday, demolishing 13 unauthorised buildings and dismantling the infrastructure of three illegal housing colonies across the district.The crackdown, led by the regulatory wing of the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (Glada), targeted unapproved developments in the villages of Dhandra, Manakwal, and Mehmoodpura. Enforcement teams, supported by police and a duty magistrate, levelled structures and tore up roads that had been laid without statutory sanction.Glada chief administrator, Sandeep Kumar, said the “special drive” was part of a broader punitive strategy against developers who lured residents with the promise of cheap plots in colonies that failed to meet govt norms or provide basic infrastructure. The demolition follows a series of ignored legal notices.Officials have stated that while developers were served warnings to cease work, construction continued, prompting the coordinated raid. “When developers did not stop the illegal construction work despite being served notices, a special team carried out the demolition, which went unopposed,” Glada officials said in a statement. To prevent the “mushrooming” of illegal settlements, the authority plans to sustain this momentum with additional enforcement drives scheduled for the coming weeks.Buyer Beware: No Services for Illegal PlotsThe authority issued a stern warning to the public, noting that residents who purchase property in these unauthorized zones will be denied essential services. Key restrictions include no municipal water (connections will be withheld from unapproved sites), utility bans (sewerage and electricity connections will not be sanctioned), and legal risk (buyers may face total loss of investment if structures are levelled).Due Diligence EncouragedProspective buyers are being urged to verify land titles and colony approvals before any financial commitment. Glada maintains a list of approved and regularized colonies, along with sanctioned maps, on its official website. The additional chief administrator of Glada has confirmed that beyond physical demolitions, the agency is initiating strict legal proceedings against individuals responsible for unauthorised development in the district. MSID:: 129803146 413 |
