Demolition drive evokes protests from shopkeepers

A high-voltage drama was witnessed at Model Town market today when the building branch team of the MC demolished a ramp built outside the famous Raju Chat Bhandar. Within minutes after this operation,the shopkeepers gathered and gheraoed the inspector as well as other staff who had gone there without any police force. The shopkeepers questioned that why only one ramp was selected in the entire market.

Interestingly,even the assistant town planner (ATP) Kamalpreet Kaur also admitted that it was job of the Tehbazari branch and not the building staff and hence the inspector was not supposed to do this operation. Curiously he ATP was said that she was not even aware of the operation as the inspector had gone there without intimating her. Later,when the inspector got trapped in the market,he called up Kaur seeking police help. The drama continued for more than two hours and later after the MC police force arrived,the demolition squad was allowed to go.

Meanwhile,following yesterday’s sealing drive,which fizzled out following the interference of SAD councillor Manvinder Pal Singh Makkar,MC building branch team is busy doing a fresh survey to find out the offices operating from residential houses.

As per a rough estimate,more than 50 such buildings are located only in one block of Model Town extension and the total numbers will be huge. It remains to be seen whether action will be taken against all the violators or the move will just fizzle out.