Illegal buildings violating defence rule

GURGAON, MARCH 28: The setting up of Maruti Udyog Limited (MUL) and the subsequent colonisation by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) within the prohibited zone of 1000 yards of an Ammunition depot has prompted coming up of large-scale `unauthorised’ constructions in this area over a period of time. Thus leaving administrators and planners perplexed. While the possibility of a major mishap cannot be ruled out in the present circumstances, it is the failure of law-enforcing agencies to contain the mushrooming of constructions which has placed the officials in a curious situation.

In clear violations of a Ministry of Defence (MoD) notification, imposing restrictions on the use of land in vicinity of Air Force unit No 54 ASP (8 Explosive Maintenance Unit earlier), the Bansi Lal government had acquired about 296 acres of land was acquired for the MUL in 70’s. A lot of furore was created in the Parliament then over the acquisition of land and the Opposition had levelled allegation that the violationshad taken place to protect private interests at the cost of public interests. The peasants who were the original land owners had also protested alleging that they were being forced by the government. Apparently, Chief Minister, Bansi Lal, himself a Congressman then, had showed favour in providing land to car manufacturer Maruti Udyog Limited, which was Sanjay Gandhi’s brainchild. Later on, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) carved out Sectors 14 and 17, which too fell in the prohibited area of 1000 yards.

Significantly, the office of the Administrator, HUDA, Gurgaon too comes within this zone.