Sambhal demolishes 123 dilapidated houses, takes action on illegal encroachments

A notice has been issued to demolish 123 houses and shops in Sambhal after a survey by the Sambhal Municipality identified them as dilapidated and at risk of collapsing. The structures, found in a hazardous condition, were deemed a threat to life and property.

Sambhal Municipal Council Executive Officer, Manibhushan Tiwari, stated that under the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities Act of 1916, the survey revealed that these 123 buildings could collapse at any moment. The municipality has now ordered the owners to demolish them or face forced demolition by authorities.

In a separate development, a demolition drive was carried out in Pathakpur village under Chandausi Tehsil, where some houses built on illegally encroached government land were removed. Tehsildar Dhirendra Kumar Singh confirmed that notices were served to the encroachers, but after their non-compliance, the houses were demolished.

The local administration's crackdown on illegal encroachments follows the violence in Sambhal, with the district authorities continuing efforts to remove illegal constructions from government lands.

In another initiative, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a survey in Sambhal to restore historical wells and pilgrimage sites. The ASI team, alongside local authorities, visited ancient sites such as Ferozpur Fort, stepwells, and Chor Kuan. The visit was part of a broader plan to reconnect the local community with their religious heritage, especially following the rediscovery of a closed Shiv-Hanuman temple during a December anti-encroachment campaign. The temple, which had been shut since 1978, was reopened on December 22.