Gurgaon malls told to remove illegal kiosks on premises

Mall authorities have been asked to ensure than vendors, unauthorised kiosks and encroachments are removed

The enforcement wing of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department has asked mall authorities to ensure that vendors, unauthorised kiosks and encroachments on the premises are removed as they are not part of the original floor plan of the buildings.

Several malls on MG Road have been issued notices.(Parveen Kumar/HT File Photo)

The move comes in the wake of the ensuing festive season. The authorities have issued notices to seven malls on MG Road and Golf Course Road as these violations obstruct movement in common areas and could lead to serious mishaps in case of an emergency.

Earlier, the district town planner (DTP (E)) had issued notices against three malls on MG Road, but after following directions for a month, the encroachers returned, prompting the latest action.

DTP(E), Gurgaon, Rajender T Sharma, said notices have been issued to malls asking them to take pre-emptive action as FIRs could be filed against the management for not following the original building plan. “I have received several complaints and asked the mall managers to take corrective action but if this does not happen, then law will take its course,” Sharma said.

The district administration is also serious about clearing the mess in malls in the wake of the impending festive season when there will be significant increase in footfall in Gurgaon malls. In a number of malls, emergency exits are blocked because malls have allowed vendors to set up shops in these areas.

The TCP department’s action follows directions from Gurgaon deputy commissioner TL Satyapraskash, who had taken up the matter of violations in malls across the city last month too. “We want this problem to be curbed in a uniform manner in all malls so that lives are not put at risk,” Satyprakash said.

As notices issued by the TCP did not have the desired impact last month, the department is planning to lodge FIRs this time. “We have started with notices and if things don’t change, strict action will follow,” Sharma said.