Encroachment on road at Laxmi Nagar market not being demolished properly: PIL in HC

The Delhi High Court has sought response of the Centre on a plea alleging that EDMC staff in "collusion" with shop owners of Laxmi Nagar market here were not properly demolishing the encroachments spilling on to the main road.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the ministries of Home Affairs and Housing and Urban Affairs, office of Lieutenant Governor and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) and sought their stand on the petition by an NGO.

The NGO, Indian Human Rights Front, in its petition has alleged "corruption, misappropriation of funds and malpractices" by EDMC staff in connection with demolition of encroachments on the road at the Laxmi Nagar main market.

It has claimed that the municipal corporation has not carried out the anti-encroachment drive as directed by the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee and had selectively demolished the encroachments, giving the road a "zig-zag" design.

The petition has contended that according to the master plan the road is supposed to be 80 feet wide, but due to the encroachments its width was around 30-40 feet.

The NGO has sought directions from the court to the authorities to remove all encroachments, widening of the road to minimum 60 feet and construction of a proper drainage system in the area.