GURUGRAM: A demolition drive against illegal construction in Sector 72 had to be stalled midway after local MLA Umesh Agarwal stood in front of an earthmover and refused to budge. The 13-acre plot, a few hundred metres from the MCG office in Sector 34, has been earmarked for open spaces like parks and playgrounds but several residential projects have started coming up on it.Repeated calls to Agarwal for a reaction went unanswered. But there have been allegations that the land belongs to one of his relatives.Sources in the MCG said the team had reached the plot around noon and was preparing to start the demolition when Agarwal intervened. “Our team had gone for the demolition drive. But they were stopped by the MLA,” MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav said. “Agarwal had a few objections, which have been sorted now. The drive would resume soon,” he added.Yadav said they had decided on the demolition drive following repeated complaints about illegal constructions in the area. Sources said though no construction is allowed on the land, in Tikri village, it had been divided into small plots four months ago and sold to different parties for residential use. Construction of several houses has started on it.Sources said the owner of the land wielded considerable political clout. A complaint about illegal constructions had been made by a resident on the chief minister’s portal, but was withdrawn later. “Plots are being sold there by someone related to a city-based political leader at the rate of Rs 35,000 per square yards,” a source said.Though the MCG had ordered the demolitions in October last year, it was stayed by a court after a group of people who had bought land filed a petition against it.The stay was vacated on Wednesday, following which the drive resumed.There have been multiple reports of illegal constructions and sale of land in Gurugram by brokers enjoying political patronage. According to sources, similar land deals are being done in violation of administrative rules in Badshahpur and a few other villages along the Southern Peripheral Road. Names of several multiple politicians have cropped up in connection with land scams.

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