GMADA sends eviction notices to Mohali police

The Mohali police have been occupying three community centres in Sectors 56,65 and 71 ever since Mohali was accorded a district status on April 14,2006.

The community centres in Sector 56 and 65 house the Police Lines,and the Sector-71 community centre houses the Mataur police station.

In reply to an RTI query,GMADA SDO (buildings) Santosh Bains admitted that four of the eight community centres in Mohali were occupied by the police and the district courts since April 2006.

Bains stated that GMADA had written to the Mohali police to vacate the three community centres under its occupation. But the community centre in Sector 60 could not be vacated till a permanent building was constructed to shift the district courts,functioning from the community centre.

The district police,however,were in no mood to vacate the community centres till an alternative space was provided.

“Where should we go? We are using these community centres not for personal use but for public purpose,” a senior police official,expressing his inability to abide by GMADA notices,said.

The GMADA had allotted 3,920 square yards in Sector 71 on a 99-year lease to house the Mataur police station. But in the absence of funds and formal approval from the state headquarters,the district police could not begin construction at the site.

Interestingly,Mohali was deprived of a district administrative and courts complex even four years after it was accorded a district status,forcing the Home and Justice department to occupy four community centres to house the district courts,police station and Police Lines.

People,meanwhile,were deprived of using these community centres to hold weddings and other social functions. Besides,the government departments functioning from these places were facing an acute space crunch.