Land mafia lying low

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 19.

With the relentless campaign of the Union Urban Development Ministry for about a year now, Delhi's strong land mafia, it seems, has ``beaten a retreat'' at least for the time being.

With examples of massive demolitions of encroachment on public land before them, people have virtually stopped purchasing land from these mafias, fearing that their plot would one day be taken over or demolished by the Government.

As a result, these people who have been otherwise minting money by ``carving out plots of public land'' are no longer indulging in such activities. ``Even if it is so, it is not on the scale as was earlier. It is in bits and pieces here and there,'' said a property dealer from the Mahipalpur area of South Delhi who had been selling land earlier.

``Even poor people who we thought were ignorant of these developments are not coming forward to purchase land. Further the vigilance of officials have increased considerably. Now it is becoming difficult to sell plots,'' he said.

Even in posh illegal colonies like Sainik Farms in South Delhi, people are not willing to purchase land at as low as Rs 1,000 per square feet. ``With almost no business, many property dealers have left the area and migrated to neighbouring Gurgaon, which is emerging as the most lucrative trading zone.''

What has added to this is surveillance by the police and other civic officials on any construction activity. ``These are apparently stopped,'' said another property dealer, adding that it was the same with other areas like Mahipalpur, Mehrauli, Najafgarh, Narela, Bawana and Khanjawala and East Delhi.

The fear psychosis increased manifold after the demolitions in Tughlakabad. ``People have suddenly stopped purchasing land in entire South Delhi, if not in any other area,'' said a community leader of Tughlakabad.

Worse is the condition in this South Delhi locality, where a large number of plot owners are selling them at whatever price they could manage, as they fear another series of demolitions. ``Prices of properties here have fallen,'' he added.

``So far as Mr. Jagmohan is at helm of affairs and continues with his anti-encroachment construction drive, we have to keep a low profile,'' said a prominent property dealer at Vasant Kunj in South Delhi.

``Though Mr. Jagmohan has not been able to cause much damage, in terms of our existing properties, he has successfully destroyed our business. People are now reluctant to purchase properties,'' he said.

As a result, even construction business has apparently come down considerably. ``When people are not purchasing and any more, how can there be any construction activity,'' he asked.

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