Mehrauli: As the anti-encroachment drive in New Delhi's Mehrauli continued for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, a large number of locals whose structures were declared illegal held a protest and created a ruckus. They demanded the authorities stop the demolition drive.
While staging a protest against the anti-encroachment drive, the locals termed it "hooliganism" amid the fact that the matter was pending in the court. In the latest development, the court ordered the authorities to stop demotion to of the houses which have filed petitions in the court and added the final verdict will be pronounced on Tuesday.
"We told them to wait for an hour during which the stay order will come. We had applied for a stay order. This is hooliganism. But they are not ready to wait," said locals.
The DDA started the drive on Friday in coordination with Delhi Police to remove encroachment from its land at Ladha Sarai village in Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Notably, the major development came a month ahead of a G20 meeting planned to be hosted at the archaeological park in south Delhi.
1,200 square metres of government land was reclaimed
According to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), nearly 1,200 square metres of government land was reclaimed during the anti-encroachment drive in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park area on Friday.
"The court has in the past taken note of the encroachment in the historic park in connection with multiple cases, and many people in the last few decades have built unauthorised structures, some, even five-storey or six-storey, in the area. A notice was issued last December and pasted on walls to alert people," a senior DDA official had said.
Earlier on Sunday, some women protesters were detained after they allegedly threw red chilli powder on police personnel deployed during an anti-encroachment drive. However, later, they were released.
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