Chandigarh Administration puts demolition of furniture market on hold

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 28

The demolition of the furniture market located on the government land in Sector 53 and 54 has been put on hold after shopkeepers filed their replies. The Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) had issued notices to the shopkeepers of the furniture market by which they were asked to vacate the site by June 28.

In response to the notices, a delegation of the Furniture Market Association met Deputy Commissioner (DC) Vinay Pratap Singh on June 25. After hearing their grievances, the DC asked them to file their individual replies to the LAO before June 28, failing which demolition would be proceeded ex parte.

The delegation requested the administration to offer them an opportunity to buy shops in the upcoming Bulk Material Market in an open auction. They said till the auction was conducted, they might be charged rent for the area encroached upon by them, as assessed by the Administration.

The LAO confirmed that he had received replies from many shopkeepers and these were being examined on merit. A decision on the demolition schedule will be taken after examining the replies as per rules at an appropriate level, he added.

The DC said the demolition would be scheduled immediately after a decision on the replies was taken by the competent authority.

The demolition was planned for any appropriate day after June 28, he added.

He again reiterated that the furniture market had been running illegally on the government land and the UT Administration was duty bound to get the encroachments removed.

The Deputy Commissioner clarified that the Administration was the absolute owner of that land at Badheri village.

On June 22, the Land Acquisition Department had issued a notice to the furniture market, directing the shopkeepers to demolish their shops and vacate the government land within a week.

In the notice served on the shopkeepers, the department has clarified that the land was acquired by the Chandigarh Administration in 2002 and forms part of Badheri village. Despite efforts by the shopkeepers to seek stay order from the High Court, all petitions were disposed of last year. The court upheld the Administration’s right to reclaim the land, having already compensated the original landowners. As per the notice, the shopkeepers were instructed to dismantle the illegal structures and restore the land to its original state by June 28.

Traders’ plea

The delegation requested the Administration to offer them an opportunity to buy shops in the upcoming Bulk Material Market in an open auction. They said till the auction was conducted, they might be charged rent for the area encroached upon by them.

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