A joint Special Task Force (STF) has been formulated under the leadership of SDM Kotwali to remove the rampant encroachments of the main road connecting the Old Rohtak Road and the Kishanganj Railway station in north Delhi.
The joint STF has the DCP North District, District Collector of Karol Bagh zone, PWD, and North Delhi Municipal Corporation and will undertake the removal of illegal encroachments that have made traffic and pedestrian movements difficult on the road.
The encroachment in the area was brought to the notice of the Public Grievance Commission (PGC). Manoj Kumar Sharma, the complainant, had written to the PGC regarding the “inaction” of the PWD in removing of encroachments even after his repeated complaints.
Sharma said that the road was encroached upon by illegal transporters, jhuggis, building materials, illegal parking, rickshaw stands and debris, leaving no space to walk on the road.
“There has been huge encroachment in the Old Rohtak Road from Inderlok area to the Kishanganj railway station. The road, which has a width of about 60 feet, has been reduced to less than 20 feet at most places. This has caused problems of poor mobility of both traffic and pedestrians who risk their lives as they are made to walk on the already narrowed and busy road. Some shopkeepers in the area have also illegally occupied a majority of the footpaths, while transport mafias are parking their vehicles on the road, leaving barely any space to walk,” Sharma said. He further added that despite his complaint to the local authorities, including the Delhi police, no action was taken. “I had complained to several authorities, but they did not pay any heed to my complaints after which I decided to move the PGC to address this grave problem,” he added. However, in the Action Taken Report filed before the PGC by the PWD of the Delhi government, the PWD said that they were being unable to remove the encroachments without the help of a Special Task Force.
PGC member N. Dilip Kumar, in his order on 31 May, asked the SDM of Kotwali to form a Special Task Force to remove the encroachments.
In his order, Dilip Kumar said, “The commission advises all the stakeholders comprising PWD, Delhi Police, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, SDM Kotwali, to implement and ensure the removal of encroachments in the area. An Action Taken Report is to be tabled before the Commission by 7 July.”