Delhi anti-encroachment drive: Bulldozers reach New Friends Colony, a day after Shaheen Bagh stir

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Tuesday carried out anti-encroachment drive on Gurudwara Road in New Friends Colony as civic officials reached the spot with bulldozers and removed illegal temporary structures.

This comes a day after the civic body had to return without executing the action in Shaheen Bagh on Monday following protests by locals and political leaders.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) also carried out an anti-encroachment exercise in an area in Mangolpuri on Tuesday.


"A stretch of about 500 metres was cleared of encroachment on streets and pavements in Y block of Mangolpuri. Street vendors and grocery sellers had put up illegal temporary structures which were removed as part of a routine drive," a senior NDMC official said.

SDMC's Central Zone Chairman Rajpal Singh said the anti-encroachment drive has begun in areas around New Friends Colony.

“Our enforcement teams along with adequate police force and equipment such as bulldozers and trucks have started removing illegally set up kiosks, temporary structures, shanties or shops from near Baudha Dharma Temple, Gurudwara Road and nearby areas in New Friends Colony. Our drive against encroachment will continue,” Singh told PTI.

New Friends Colony falls under the Central Zone of the SDMC. SDMC's drive in Shaheen Bagh had witnessed people protesting in large numbers against the action and a complaint was also registered against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan for “obstructing” the drive.

The Supreme Court had also refused to entertain a plea filed by the CPI(M) against the demolition drive at Shaheen Bagh, saying it cannot interfere in the matter at the instance of a political party.