The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) will initiate a demolition drive from February 13 to clear encroachments over parking lots in commercial complexes and other buildings.
Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Shivu Hiremath made this announcement after issues such as encroachments over parking spaces, blatant violation of building bylaws and official negligence rocked the monthly council meeting on Saturday.
When the former opposition leader in the council Ganesh Tagargunti raised a calling attention motion seconded by floor leader Sudhir Saraf, several councillors joined the debate and took to task officials for not initiating action against even those who had blatantly violated building bylaws.
Mr. Ganesh pointed out that several kalyanmantaps and hospitals too had encroached upon parking spaces and in some cases there was no specified parking area at all.
Former Mayors Viranna Savadi and Deepak Chinchore and others concurred with him and said that although a decision was taken in the previous council meeting to act against the illegal truck terminal being set up at MT Mill area, nothing had been done so far.
Joint Commissioner Shakeel Ahmed intervened to say that the corporation had initiated a survey of such buildings and 600 structures had been identified. Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad had convened a meeting on the issue on February 4, he said. However, several councillors asked why the Mayor was not informed about it.
The prolonged discussion ultimately resulted in the Mayor directing the officials to complete the survey on encroachments over parking areas by February 10 and initiate the demolition drive from February 13.
The Mayor also ruled that the Assistant Commissioner of respective zonal offices of HDMC and the Deputy Director of Town Planning would be held accountable if action was taken.
