Despite GLADA’s plaint, only 278 FIRs registered against illegal colonies so far

Strap: The authority has flagged 871 cases of illegal colonies for police action under the 2018 regularisation policy
The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) has flagged 871 cases of illegal colonies for police action under the 2018 regularisation policy. However, only 278 FIRs have been registered so far, leaving 593 cases still pending with the police. The unchecked spread of unauthorised colonies continues across the district, with officials facing criticism for not taking decisive action.
According to documents submitted by GLADA to the higher authorities in the housing department, out of the 871 cases forwarded for FIRs, 278 have resulted in challans being presented in court, and 30 cases have been decided, with convictions in each. However, a significant backlog remains, with 593 cases stuck at the police level.
Sources within GLADA reveal that there are even more cases and files yet to be scrutinised, indicating that the problem of illegal colonies may be more widespread than currently reported.
In a report to the housing department, GLADA officials also highlighted the status of unauthorised colonies. So far, 654 applications have been received for colony regularization. Out of these, 51 have been regularized, 203 applications were either rejected or withdrawn, 94 were transferred to other districts or the Municipal Corporation, and 306 applications are still pending.
Despite ongoing efforts, GLADA officials have been criticized for failing to curb the rapid growth of illegal colonies at the ground level. The unchecked expansion of these unauthorized colonies raises concerns about enforcement and oversight.
Police commissioner Kuldeep Chahal said, “I will check the status, as we have taken action on almost all the complaints sent by GLADA. I will direct the officials concerned to review any pending complaints and ensure appropriate action is taken.”
MC commissioner and chief administrator of GLADA, Sandeep Rishi, added, “We are continuously conducting drives against illegal colonies across the district. We have also issued reminders to the police department to act on the complaints we have forwarded.”