Admn to demolish furniture market at Sec 53 in 10 days

The UT Administration has decided to demolish the furniture market in Sector 53 and 54. A senior official said though the demolition date was yet to be finalised, action would be carried out within 10 days.

The Administration had earlier turned down the demand of the shopkeepers of the furniture market for allotment of an alternative site.

According to an order issued by the Estate Officer, the demand of the shopkeepers was rejected as the land upon which they were running their business was acquired in 2002.

Land measuring 227.22 acres (114.43 acres of Kajheri village, 69.79 acres of Badheri village and 43 acres of Palsora village) was acquired for the development of third phase of Sectors 53, 54 and 55. The original landowners had been awarded the compensation as well as the enhanced compensation.

Nearly 15 acres of land has been encroached upon by the furniture traders. On June 22, 2024, the Land Acquisition Department had issued a notice to the furniture market, directing the shopkeepers to demolish their shops and vacate the government land within a week.

In the notice served on the shopkeepers, the department had clarified that the land was acquired by the Chandigarh Administration in 2002. Despite efforts by the shopkeepers to seek stay order from the High Court, all petitions were disposed of. The court upheld the Administration’s right to reclaim the land, having already compensated the original landowners.

In response to the notices, a delegation of the Furniture Market Association had met the then Deputy Commissioner (DC) Vinay Pratap Singh. The DC asked them to file their individual replies to the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO), failing which demolition would be proceeded ex parte.

As many as 29 shops in the illegal furniture market were demolished earlier, as these shopkeepers had failed to submit their replies to the Land Acquisition Officer (LAO). Of the total shopkeepers who had been served demolition notices, 116 had filed their replies to the LAO.

Chandigarh