PATIALA, Nov 19: Three structures including a car showroom and a service station were razed today during a special anti-encroachment operation launched by the Patiala Municipal Corporation.A double-storey Hyundai Santro car show room, adjacent to Bhagat Singh and Sons petrol station at the Fountain Chowk, Lochan Motor Car Service Station on the Rajpura road, and a shop in the Sabzi Mandi area were razed.The police had to resort to a mild lathi charge before the showroom was demolished. Minister of state for Printing and Stationery Surjit Singh Kohli arrived on the spot with a number of followers. One person tried to disrupt the demolition work. Deputy Commissioner Viswajit Khanna told ENS that the police had to seal off the entire area to carry out the demolition. He said that the Minister had probably come to the site as it was part of his constituency. He said he did not know if the person who had tried to disrupt the demolition was a follower of the Minister.He said that notices had been served to all the owners of the properties which were demolished today. He said the car showroom owners- Bhagat Singh and Sons had constructed the showroom despite its building plan having been rejected by the MC. In the case of Lochan Service Station the land was the property of a dera which had been encroached upon, the DC added.The DC said the MC was conducting a massive demolition drive under the leadership of Commissioner Harkesh Singh Sidhu. He said already 30 to 40 small shops had been demolished under the drive. He added that illegal khokhas and sheds in congested bazars were also being removed.Those affected by the ongoing drive say the corporation was picking up khokhas and rehris from roads at night without giving any opportunity to the owners to take away their goods. Meanwhile, the petrol pumps in the city observed one-day token strike to show their solidarity with the Bhagat Singh and Sons petroleum dealers. Talking to ENS petrol pump association president J.P. Jain and Director Avinash Gaur said the association would go on an indefinite strike if compensation for the loss is not paid to Bhagat Singh and Sons within 15 days.
