Chandigarh, July 30 — To tighten its grip on illegal land occupation, the Chandigarh administration has deployed 12 junior engineers (JEs) under the Estate Office to monitor and report encroachments across the city. The move follows an intensified anti-encroachment campaign that has seen over 36 acres of government land reclaimed in the last three months.
Each junior engineer will now oversee a designated zone and act as an on-ground inspector, responsible for preparing detailed reports and identifying any unauthorized construction or settlement. They will be required to submit an affidavit every 15 days affirming that no new encroachments have taken place within their jurisdiction.
“The responsibility has been clearly marked. If any illegal structure or occupation is found, the JE must immediately alert the sub-divisional officer and the respective tehsildar,” a senior Estate Office official said.
As part of their duties, engineers must also conduct field inspections at least twice a month. All findings, including building violations, will now be uploaded through an online inspection portal developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC). This digital model is expected to improve oversight and provide real-time updates to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM).
The action comes amid a surge in unauthorized settlements, particularly slums, in various sectors of the city.
Demolition Drives Reclaim High-Value Land
The anti-encroachment campaign has led to the clearance of several large illegal settlements and markets:
- On July 20, the UT Estate Office demolished a 40-year-old illegal furniture market in Sectors 53 and 54, reclaiming 12 acres of land valued at ₹400 crore.
- On June 19, Adarsh Colony in Sector 54—one of the city’s last remaining slums—was razed, freeing six acres worth ₹250 crore.
- On May 6, the major slum of Janta Colony in Sector 25 was cleared, reclaiming 10 acres of land worth ₹350 crore. The site is now being prepared for public infrastructure including a dispensary, primary school, and shopping complex.
- Earlier, on April 24, over 1,000 makeshift homes in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area Phase 1, were demolished. The settlement had encroached on six acres of prime government land.
Officials say the deployment of junior engineers is aimed at preventing reoccupation and ensuring timely enforcement. “This is not just a clean-up effort—it’s a long-term enforcement strategy,” said an official involved in the planning.
