District Administration Rajouri in a massive anti-encroachment and demolition drive retrieved 274 Kanal land within municipal limits and demolished more than 30 illegal structures including shops and houses.
A team of officers lead by Deputy Commissioner Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary along with SSP Yougal Manhas, ACD Noor Alam, ACR Qayoom Mir, SDMs Kartar Singh, Abdul Sattar, SDPOs Dr Imtiaz, Jaswant Singh, Iftikhar Choudhary, ExEn PWD S A Wani, ExEn EM&RE Munshi Khan, Executive Officer MC, Tehsildars and other officer assisted by a 500 strong contingent of police force, workforce of 120 men and more than 20 JCB Machines initiated the drive at 1000Hrs which was carried on for the entire day.
In a meticulously planned strategy the teams headed by various officers retrieved the prime land at 5 different locations. A stretch of 87 Kanal prime land under illegal constructions was retrieved during the first phase of drive.
Another patch of land measuring 163 Kanal was retrieved and fenced by the team along with police force. Land measuring 12 Kanals belonging to custodian department and occupied by some locals near district hospital was also retrieved. Prime land located between Abdullah Bridge and new alternate bridge measuring 12 kanal has also been fenced. The value of entire land fenced is around Rs 70-75 Cr as per the notified stamp duty rates.
The huge fleet of machinery deployed along with the team of officers and police force demolished more than 30 structures which included 14 shops, 11 concrete residential houses, 2 workshops, 1 service station and 3 sheds apart from a vast network of concrete plinths and foundations. No injury or damage was reported during the drive.
In view of cold weather district administration has also provided temporary accommodation for one week in favour of the evicted families and necessary arrangements were put in place. Meanwhile a separate enquiry is being conducted into the role of some locals in sale and purchase of state land and involvement of officials in wrongful vesting of titles or allowing illegal constructions.
Dr Shahid informed that the eviction and demolition drive will continue during the month and similar patches of land will be retrieved shortly. He also informed that projects for construction of Parking lot of 1000 vehicles and a recreation park have been approved to be constructed on retrieved land. Administration is also starting construction of circular road from new bridge to district court complex via Anandpur ashram utilising retrieved land.