DLF-3 Enforcement Drive Returns to Stilt Violations

GURUGRAM: The Department of Town and Country Planning is resuming its demolition and sealing drive in DLF Phase 3, with unauthorised structures in stilt parking areas and commercial activity inside residential properties under particular scrutiny.

District town planner for enforcement Amit Madholia inspected V Block, Moulsari Avenue Road and adjoining lanes on Sunday before the renewed action. Property owners were given a final warning to remove structures raised in stilt parking spaces and restore those areas to their approved use.

Officials said show-cause notices and restoration orders had already been served, giving owners time to comply. Where violations continue, the department has said it may use earthmoving machinery to remove unauthorised construction. Residential properties being used for commercial activity contrary to planning norms may face sealing.

The action is therefore not a finding that every property in the inspected area is in violation. It is directed at buildings identified by the planning authority after its inspection and notice process. Owners retain the right to respond through the legal and administrative channels available to them, while the department must ensure that any coercive action follows the applicable orders.

Why stilt parking matters in a dense colony

Stilt floors are commonly sanctioned as parking space. When they are enclosed or converted to other uses, vehicles spill onto already narrow residential lanes. The result is not only congestion. Parked cars can restrict emergency access, block pedestrians and make routine waste collection difficult.

The enforcement exercise had remained suspended for several days while related matters were being heard by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. With proceedings moving forward, officials have prepared to restart field action. The department has previously carried out demolition and sealing in DLF-3 and DLF-4 for departures from sanctioned building plans and land-use rules. Officials say properties sealed during earlier drives have not been de-sealed.

A sustained campaign will need more than periodic machinery visits. DTCP should publish the violation category in each notice, record before-and-after evidence and distinguish removable additions from structural issues requiring engineering precautions. Transparent documentation protects residents against arbitrary action and helps officials defend legitimate enforcement.

The department should also coordinate traffic and safety arrangements before entering crowded lanes. Demolition debris must be cleared promptly rather than left outside neighbouring homes, and utility lines should be checked before any structure is removed. Enforcement that creates a new civic hazard would defeat its own purpose.

DLF-3 has long balanced residential use with intense commercial pressure due to its location near Cyber City and the Delhi border. That demand cannot be managed through selective action alone. Consistent rules, timely inspections and realistic parking enforcement are required across the colony.

For affected owners, the immediate choice is to comply with valid restoration orders or pursue lawful remedies. For DTCP, the test is equally clear: carry out the resumed drive consistently, safely and with a complete public record, rather than allowing violations to return after the enforcement team leaves.