Gurgaon: The five-day anti-encroachment drive ended on Wednesday with roads opened up, kiosks razed and boundary walls pulled down across some of the city’s most prominent colonies. But it also laid bare a sharp divide among residents.While many welcomed the reclaiming of public land and wider carriageways, others questioned the suddenness of the exercise and the uneven way it was enforced.Teams from the town and country planning department carried out demolitions across DLF phase 1 and 2 and several other licensed colonies, removing encroachments on road right of way, green belts and public spaces. Officials described it as one of the widest such operations in recent months, spanning nine colonies at once on Wednesday. So far, more than 20 colonies have been covered.
In DLF Phase 1, the teams began from C Block, covering 14 lanes and taking action at around 250 houses, before removing four illegal kiosks in the market area
In DLF Phase 1, the teams began from C Block, covering 14 lanes and taking action at around 250 houses, before removing four illegal kiosks in the market area. In E Block, six lanes were covered and action was taken in front of more than 150 houses.Officials said violations included extended boundary walls, gates and other structures jutting into public land. Around 50 extended walls and gates were demolished, over 130 encroaching lawns, fences and gardens were cleared, more than 30 guard rooms were removed, and 30 ramps and staircases dismantled. E Block saw some of the worst violations, with gates extending up to three feet onto the road.The drive then moved to DLF Phase 2, covering N Block, Gulmohar Marg and P Block. Six lanes each in N and P blocks were cleared, with action against nearly 250 houses. Around 15 guard rooms were demolished and more than 150 lawns and fences removed.Residents reacted differently. Rajiv Mehra, who lives in DLF Phase 2, backed the move. “Roads had kept shrinking because of unchecked extensions. Even emergency vehicles struggled to pass. This action was long overdue,” he said.But Neha Bansal from South City-1 said the process should have been handled more carefully. “Encroachments should go, but many residents were not given enough time. Some of these structures are decades old and could have been dealt with more sensitively,” she said.Palam Vihar resident Sandeep Yadav was more critical. “Why now, and why selectively? Authorities allowed these constructions for years. People spent money in good faith, and now everything is suddenly being demolished,” he said.DLF Phase 1 resident Ankit Khurana struck a middle path. “The action is necessary to reclaim public space, but enforcement must be uniform and communication better. It should not appear arbitrary,” he said.District town planner Amit Madholia said a detailed report on the five-day exercise would be sent to Chandigarh, but made it clear the campaign would continue.“This is not the end. Action will continue in remaining colonies and even in areas only partly covered. A committee of junior engineers will monitor the cleared sites to prevent re-encroachment,” he said.Madholia also urged residents to remove violations on their own, warning that wherever encroachments remain, action will follow without extra time being given on the spot.Parallel action was also carried out in South City-1, Greenwood City, Palam Vihar, Sushant Lok-1, Mayfield Garden, Nirvana Country, Uppal Southend, Rosewood City and other areas. Among the biggest clearances, Palam Vihar saw 600 fences, 650 ramps and platforms, and 450 boundary walls removed. In South City-1 and Greenwood City, teams demolished 13 guard rooms, 15 advertisement boards and 12 kiosks.
