Ghaziabad authority finds play area, book shop, blood banks in basements; takes action
The directions to conduct inspections came from Lucknow on July 29 after three civil services aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27
Teams of the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) found basements of several buildings in the city being used as snooker parlours, children’s play area, skating rink, table tennis court, book shop and even as a blood bank, all of which are violations of the building code. The officials said that they have initiated action wherever they found commercial activities in basements.
The move comes after Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary, Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, sent a communication to all development authorities, special development authorities etc, to enforce guidelines and to ascertain whether any commercial activity was taking place in building basements.
The directions came on July 29 after three civil services aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27.
During the inspections, the authority officials found that a basement in building in Nehru Nagar was divided into two parts, one having a snooker table. This was closed down with immediate effect, officials said.
“In another instance in Nehru Nagar, a part of the basement area was used for denaturation of tiles. A blood bank was found operating in another basement in Nehru Nagar, while another pre-fabricated basement in Nehru Nagar was being used as a book store,” said an official from the authority’s enforcement department, asking not to be named.
“Our focus is to curb commercial activities and especially those involving children and youngsters in basements. Notices are being served on errant owners and proceedings for sealing/FIR are being initiated in instances where notices have already been served and compliance not taken up,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, secretary, GDA.
The officials said they also found parking along with commercial activities in one of the basements in Shalimar Garden.
“The sealing was done and FIR proceedings were initiated. In Indraprastha locality, a gym was operated in the basement, and it was sealed. Instructions were also given to developers to not take up public utility or commercial activities against approved map layouts,” the official quoted above said.
On Wednesday, authority teams conducted inspections in Raj Nagar Extension.
“One playschool had children’s play area in the basement of the school building. In another school, coaching classes were being held in basement. Operators were told to immediately cease these activities. Table tennis courts and skating rinks were found operating in a school in Indirapuram. These were also shut,” the official said.
GDA said more inspections will be carried out in the days to come.