Nope. The residents have spent Rs 8 lakh raising structures to keep out encroachers, but authorities are sceptical.
Outside Sahara Grace on MG Road
Residents of Sahara Grace on MG Road in Gurgaon have lashed out against the authorities for even thinking about razing all the structures they built to beautify the premises just outside the society. They spent Rs 8 lakh raising these structures to keep out encroachers and squatters.
The access road to the society was encroached by hawkers earlier, resulting in congestion. The boundary wall around the society would be used by passers-by and vendors to relieve themselves. There was no pavement outside the society earlier, and residents often feared being run over or meeting with an accident while walking towards MG Road.
Although there was a temporary road divider, it was pushed around by encroachers, residents claimed.
“The road outside the society was earlier encroached by illegally parked rickshaws, autos, unauthorised food stalls. Taking this lane was a nightmare. You couldn’t drive into the lane and school buses would drop off the children in front of a liquor shop on MG Road. This lane was rendered inaccessible!” lashed out Kanchan Kapoor, RWA secretary.
The residents then took matters into their hands. They beautified the premises, and even got a pavement built to ensure road safety.
Their only hope... the civic authorities would force the hawkers to shift and ensure that lane remained clean.
“Earlier, people openly relieved themselves on the walls on either side of the lane. Visitors and hawkers would litter the lane and pavement every evening and not a single municipal worker came by to pick up waste or sweep the lane,” complained Viri Nagra, a resident.
“Now we have roped in a sweeper to clean the road and sidewalk and have also hired a guard to not allow any hawkers or squatters on the sidewalk. We have been watering the plants on our premises as well. It costs us around Rs 40,000 per month,” Mona Jain, an RWA member, said.
Rajender T Sharma, district town planner (enforcement), said, “We will call the residents next week and visit the complex to take stock. We won’t demolish any structure unless they are found to be in violation of our norms.”
