Amid massive outcry over the bulldozer action near Delhi's Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque, the similar action has been carried out in the neighbouring Gurugram and Uttarakhand capital Dehradun.
In Gurugram, a team of Forest Department bulldozed illegal constructions in the Aravalli Hill region on Thursday. According to a report by Jagran.com, boundary walls of five farm houses were constructed illegally during the night time which was razed to ground and surveillance has been increased in the area.
Forest Conservator Dr Subhash Yadav had received information that farmhouses were being constructed in the Gwal Pahari area during the night. When the team arrived, they found the boundaries of five farmhouses already in place.
Some even had construction inside. Following this, preparations were made for immediate action and police reinforcements were requested from the administration. As soon as the police force arrived, bulldozers were deployed on Thursday.
Yadav said that most of the farm houses have been granted stay due to which action was pending but no new farm houses are allowed in the area.
Three days ago, action was taken against a farmhouse in the Raisina area. Along with the demolition of the farmhouse, roads built on forest land are also being demolished.
Mazar razed in Dehradun
In Dehradun, the district administration and the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) took strict action against illegal religious structures erected on government land.
Late Thursday night, the MDDA bulldozed an illegal shrine located in the Clock Tower area. This action was taken following clear government instructions and a prior notice. The administration and authorities have made it clear that illegal encroachments on government land, regardless of their form, will no longer be tolerated.
The MDDA's earlier notice clarified that the shrine located within the HNB Complex on Dispensary Road, near the Clock Tower, was illegally constructed on government land.
Jagran.com, based on sources, reported that the action as taken at night as the authorities anticipated a potential law and order situation.
The MDDA enforcement team arrived at the scene, accompanied by a heavy police presence, and within a few hours, the entire shrine was demolished.
What's happening in Delhi?
The encroachment removal drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque in front of Turkman Gate continued for a second day on Thursday. On the second day, several rooms of the illegally constructed banquet hall were demolished. Additionally, 2,500 square feet of land was cleared on Public Works Department land near the mosque's main gate.
This encroachment was on a PWD road and had been illegally fenced in. This has also been removed. According to the MCD, a total of 39,000 square feet of land needs to be cleared.
According to officials, a large amount of debris remains. Once the debris is cleared, the land will be measured. After this, a boundary wall will be constructed and the cleared land will be made part of the Ramlila ground.
So far, 250 truckloads of debris have been removed and the plan is to remove another 100 trucks of debris by Friday morning.