Kuldip Bhatia Ludhiana May 9 Illegal extension and alteration of standard design — a violation of building bylaws as well as terms and conditions of allotment and encroachments in corridor meant for the movement of people — have become a routine in the RR Bhardwaj Municipal Corporation (MC) market on Gill Road here. More often than not field staff and supervisory officials of the building branch (Zone C) of the Municipal Corporation either fail to take notice of these blatant violations or issue notices to allottees without any further follow-up action. Simranpal Singh Kalsi a city-based social activist and president of the Social Welfare and Public Awareness Society in a complaint to the Principal Secretary Local Government Department Punjab has said all booths in the market were constructed as per the approved layout and standard design. “However many allottees had made illegal extensions and had raised more floors over booths even though they did not have right to the roofs as per terms and conditions of allotment letters” he alleged. According to Kalsi many booth owners were carrying out illegal extension and violation of standard design in the name of urgent repairs while in fact they were remodeling and extending the booths. Not only this a majority of the owners had encroached upon corridors (open space) left in front of the booths for public movement. “Corridors have been encroached upon by putting street furniture of merchandise. Also at several places cemented structures have been built while some other allottees had extended their booths to completely cover the corridors which are the property of the MC” Kalsi said. Maintaining that collusion of MC staff of the C-zone of building branch in these violations could not be ruled out the complainant has sought stern action against defaulting allottees and negligent employees/officials of the MC for their failure to check encroachments illegal alteration of standard design and extensions carried out in booths. MC officials said some allottees had sought permission to repair roofs of booths which had been permitted. However action as per law would be taken against encroachments extension or alteration of standard design if any found in the market they asserted.

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