Demolition drive in Shaheen Bagh cancelled

Police writes to civic body saying they need 10 days’ notice to arrange sufficient force

Anti-encroachment drives by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in Jasola and Sarita Vihar were cancelled on Thursday, due to the unavailability of adequate police force. The police wrote to the civic body saying that it should give at least 10 days’ notice to allow the police to provide sufficient staff for such drives.

The SDMC’s demolition drive was scheduled on Thursday, a day after Mayor Mukesh Suryan held inspections in these wards. While Mr. Suryan has been insistent on carrying out a “massive campaign” in Shaheen Bagh and Okhla to remove encroachments, officials of the south civic body describe the drives as “routine exercises”, downplaying the Mayor’s statements.

“Removing encroachments is a routine exercise. This meeting with officials could be given any name, but the fact remains that these meetings are also routine,” said a senior SDMC official.

A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said the district police requires at least a week’s notice to arrange the force to assist the civic body in carrying out an encroachment removal drives. “We need to assess the law and order situation of the area and after estimating the manpower required, we organise the requisite police teams,” the officer said.

The officer added that such drives are carried out regularly but requisite force can be arranged only after prior intimation, “We are bound to assist the civic body in such drives but arranging such a heavy deployment at such a short notice is not possible.”

Meanwhile, SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan on Thursday held a meeting with senior civic officials over intensifying inspection drives to identify encroachments in areas under the civic body’s jurisdiction.

Mr. Suryan was unavailable for comment.