The Delhi High Court has declined to issue any directives to stop the illegal construction of flats, shops and other structures in the Capital's Duggal Colony in Khanpur, stating that the matter had to be dealt with by appropriate authorities.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Markendya Katju while refusing to entertain an appeal filed against the order of a Single Judge directed the petitioner to approach the Municipal Corporation of Delhi commissioner and other civic authorities to get his grievance redressed.
"If we keep passing orders on such petitions then it may lead to demolition of entire Delhi. You must be reading about the issue in the newspapers," Justice Katju observed on Wednesday while refusing to entertain the plea.
The petition had complained that the illegal construction activities by the builders were not only restricted to the construction site alone but the encroachments extended to the streets causing severe traffic jams and nuisance to the local public.
He claimed that though a number of petitions and representations were made to the MCD Commissioner, City Police Commissioner and other officials concerned, no action was initiated so far and the illegal constructions were going unabated in the area.
The petitioner K B Singh, a former president of the local resident welfare association, had initially moved a Single Judge Bench on the issue, which was dismissed.
He filed the appeal on the ground that he had exhausted all other avenues for redressal of his complaint but the same was dismissed with a suggestion to approach the officials concerned.
Incidentally, the MCD is on a massive demolition spree of illegal structures in the city for the past five days.
The demolitions were being carried out following a recent directive by a Division Bench, comprising Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rekha Sharma, to demolish all illegal structures in the city.
There are an estimated 18,000 illegal structures in the city as per the findings of a 3-member lawyers committee appointed by the Bench.
The past two days also has been witnessing a flurry of hectic political activities in the city with both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party trying to wriggle out of the tricky issues lest it affects its vote bank.
The Delhi assembly had also passed a resolution seeking an end to the demolitions.
