Special Task Force's mass encroachment drive to decongest roads in Delhi

The 13-member special task force (STF) targetted massively encroached Metro stations -- Hauz Khas and Nehru Place --- removing illegally parked vehicles and hawkers selling eatables, on Saturday.

"The area around the Metro stations was heavily encroached upon. Despite the traffic police making 'halt n go' zones at the stations, autorickshaws, e-rickshaws and buses station themselves here occupying more than half the carriageway. In both the areas, footpaths were encroached upon by hawkers while the road is occupied by these vehicles," said a senior officer.

At Hauz Khas Metro station, the carriageway going towards Panchsheel gets reduced to less than half because of the "illegally" and "haphazardly" parked vehicles leading to long traffic snarls.

Besides, around 250 structures including both temporary and permanent were removed from different areas of the city.

"We cleared an area of around 6 km at RK Puram-PN Dogra Marg, Vivekanand Marg and Church Road. During the action, five vehicles and 15 articles have been seized, and 34 temporary structures have been demolished," the officer said.

The STF also took action against wrongly parked vehicles at the Kalindi Kunj road where 20 permanent structures were demolished.

The civic bodies also took action against repeat offenders, who were removed but have surfaced again on the roads. In North Delhi, the corporation removed encroachments from key stretches witnessing heavy traffic jams during peak hours including --- Britannia Chowk -- Anukampa Chowk, Raja Park Chowk -- Hotel Miraz, areas surrounding New Delhi Railway Station, Burari- bypass -- Burari Mor, Ravi Dass Marg -- DB Gupta Road, Pusa Road, Madhuban Chowk --Rithala Metro station.

The task force headed by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairman Uday Pratap Singh comprises all civic agencies including three municipal corporations, public works department and DDA, among others.

The action is being taken by STF constituted on directions of the Supreme Court, to remove encroachments from public spaces and government land within two weeks. The civic agencies have to file a compliance report in the Supreme Court on the matter on May 15.

Keeping in line with the apex court order, the drive is likely to reach unauthorised colonies against ongoing constructions as well by next week.

Earlier this month, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had asked all civic bodies to remove encroachment along 11 major corridors in the national Capital.

CASE HISTORY

The Delhi HC had in 2010 asked the state and Delhi Police to create a list of ‘halt-and-go’ stands for autorickshaws and put up boards identifying them. The idea was to designate places where autorickshaws could park instead of occupying space on roads. The Delhi traffic police had identified 280 such spots then.