Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 14: Illegal constructions are going on unabated in North Kashmir’s Sopore area even as the concerned department has failed in acting against the violators who have been throwing regulations to the wind.
Locals told Excelsior that commercial structures are being constructed along the National Highway in Watergam Rafiabad of Sopore in total violation of the rules and regulations. They also allege that the blue-eyed owners of the building are using their influence to carry out the construction.
It has been learned that one of the spots where the illegal construction is going on used to have a kacha structure which was then destroyed in a fire incident.
“After that Kacha structure was destroyed in a fire incident, then its owners went ahead and erected a concrete double-storey even as they were told not do so,” the locals said.
With the old building majorly made of wood with old design, as per locals, the officials had directed the owners to construct the building as per the original outline and not to resort to any sort of violation in this regard.
“However, the structure that has come up now is concrete; they were even told not to lay a slab, and rather use wood for laying of the ceiling, but they have gone ahead with all the violations,” the locals said.
While the locals state different facts, the officials tell altogether a different story. They said that there has not been any violation and the works were being carried out as per the directives.
“The building was gutted in a fire, and in such cases, we allow the rebuilding on the similar lines; there are set rules that we follow in such cases; I can tell you that there has not been any violation, we have been monitoring it,” Executive Officer, Municipal Committee Sopore Aijaz Ahmad said.
However, the locals counter the claims of the officials and allege that the concerned department has been turning a blind eye towards the violations due to reasons better known to them.
“The officials are being biased concerning the construction of this particular structure; they have been resorting to the demolition of several structures nearby that were violating the norms, however, they are putting to use different standards when it comes to this particular structure being constructed along the National Highway,” the locals said.
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