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Ujjain, Nov 5 (IANS) The Ujjain Development Authority (UDA) on Wednesday conducted another round of anti-encroachment drive in the Begum Bagh area of the city, demolishing 12 buildings for violating land use norms. An officer gave this information.
According to the UDA, all the demolished structures were declared illegal as the leases of the plots were canceled several years ago.
Begum Bagh is a Muslim-majority residential colony under the jurisdiction of Mahakal police station in Ujjain, the home district of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Officials said the land was originally allotted to set up a residential colony. However, the allottees had used the plots for commercial purposes, which was a violation of the lease terms. Furthermore, the leases of these plots expired in 2014–15 and were never renewed.
The demolition drive was carried out jointly by Ujjain Development Authority and Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) in the presence of administrative and police officials.
Ujjain Development Authority CEO Sandeep Soni said the area where the demolition took place was part of a housing scheme launched by the UDA in 1985, known as the Mahakal Hari Pathak Residential Scheme.
“The UDA had allotted these plots for housing purposes, but over time, illegal constructions took place and the plots were used for commercial activities, which was against the norms,” Soni told reporters during the demolition drive.
He further said that originally 28 plots were given on lease under the 1985 scheme, but eventually about 65 structures were built on them.
Notably, this was the third anti-encroachment operation in Begum Bagh area since June this year. Ujjain Development Authority had earlier demolished 28 buildings during the drive conducted in June and August.
Ujjain is one of the major cities of Madhya Pradesh and serves as the administrative and religious center of Ujjain district as well as Ujjain division of the state.
The city holds prominence as one of the Sapt Puri – one of the seven sacred pilgrimage sites of Hinduism – and is famous for hosting the Kumbh Mela (Simhastha) every 12 years.
It is also home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve iconic Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
–IANS
PD/PGH