103 ‘illegal’ banquet halls, shops sealed in Faridabad

ibune News Service

Faridabad, February 11

The Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) sealed 103 commercial establishments operating on the roads of Sector 9, 10, 11 and 12 residential areas.

The MCF carried out the drive on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on two petitions filed by Yogender Singh and the Residents Welfare Association of Sector 10 in 2015 and 2016. The petitioners had demanded action against the establishments for alleged illegal commercial activities on the dividing roads of Sector 9-10, Sector 10-12 and Sector 11-12 in residential areas. The court had directed the municipal authorities to take necessary action and report back on the next date of hearing on February 15.

DR Bhaskar, Chief Engineer of the MCF, said that 103 commercial units, including shops, showrooms and banquet halls, were sealed. He added that some constructions where encroachments had been done were demolished.

The drive was launched from the J-block of Sector 10 opposite the district courts. The MCF teams accompanied by a heavy police force sealed the gates of shops on the dividing road of Sector 10 and 12. Boards, nameplates and other materials of several shops were removed, and the police barricaded the main road to halt the movement of vehicles. The action resulted in panic among the shopkeepers of the nieghbouring market on Sector 7 and 10, who kept their shutters down.

More than 60 shops or showrooms had been functioning illegally on the Sector 9 and 10 dividing road. Varun Sheokand, a social activist, said that the commercial units operating in residential areas often led to traffic chaos and pollution. He accused the MCF teams of sparing a banquet hall owned by a BJP leader in Sector 11.

Action on High Court order  

• The MC carried out the drive on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court 
• The petitioners had demanded action against the establishments for alleged illegal commercial activities on the dividing roads of Sector 9-10, Sector 10-12 and Sector 11-12 in residential areas
• The court had directed the municipal authorities to take action and report back on the next date of hearing on February 15