The Times of India              30.01.2014

Mayor gives 2-day ultimatum to encroachers

NASHIK: Mayor Yatin Wagh on Wednesday gave encroachers in Nashik Road area an ultimatum of two days, failing which; the unauthorized structures would be removed by the civic administration. Wagh was on a visit to division to take a look at the encroachments.

The mayor visited areas near Shivaji statue, Devi Chowk, the railway station, Muktidham, Masjid road, Jail Road, Bytco and other surrounding areas of the Nashik Road division.

For the last week, the mayor has been visiting various areas of the city that are allegedly encroached and instructing the officials concerned to clear them. The anti-encroachment department of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been demolishing illegal structures since Monday.

On Tuesday, the mayor visited the area near Sarda Circle where around 30 shops have been allegedly built on encroached land.

"There are a lot of encroachments in these areas, particularly on the footpaths. We have instructed the encroachers to remove them in two days, or else the NMC will remove them. Hawkers, kiosk owners, vegetable and other vendors and show owners extending their shops right up to the footpath are the issues of concern in the area," said chairman of the NMC's standing committee, Ramesh Dhongade, who accompanied the mayor during the visit.

Officials of the Nashik Road division said that even though they remove the encroachments periodically, but they keep cropping up time and again.

"We conduct regular drives to remove encroachments, but the temporary ones keep coming back. Now, with the mayor's orders, we hope the roads will become encroachment-free," an official of the Nashik Road division said.