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The Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board (UPHDB) has initiated the demolition process for 44 sealed properties in Meerut's Shastri Nagar Residential Scheme No. 7 in compliance with a Supreme Court order issued earlier this month. Property owners will receive 15-day notices before demolition begins if unauthorised structures are not removed voluntarily. The action forms part of a wider exercise covering 859 properties, including EWS and low-income housing, with further surveys planned across the city to identify additional violations.
The Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board (UPHDB) has commenced the process to demolish 44 sealed properties in Meerut following a Supreme Court order issued earlier this month directing authorities to take action against unauthorised constructions. The properties are located in Shastri Nagar Residential Scheme No. 7, a mixed residential and commercial locality, with notices expected to be issued to owners in the coming days.
According to UPHDB officials, a survey of the affected properties has already been completed. Owners will be given 15 days to voluntarily remove illegal constructions after receiving notices. If they fail to comply within the stipulated period, the Housing Board will carry out the demolition and recover the associated costs from the property owners.
Deputy Housing Commissioner Anil Kumar Singh said that the Supreme Court's directions extend beyond the 44 sealed commercial establishments. A total of 859 properties fall within the scope of the court's order, including the 44 sealed shops in Central Market, around 350 Economically Weaker Section (EWS) houses and between 150 and 200 low-income group residences. The court has also directed authorities to identify and act against residential properties that have been converted for commercial use in other parts of Meerut.
The Housing Board said enforcement action would initially focus on the 44 sealed shops before expanding to other identified violations across the city. For buildings with multiple owners, officials from the revenue department have undertaken detailed measurements to determine the extent of unauthorised construction and minimise ownership-related disputes during the demolition process.
Officials clarified that owners of buildings with approved plans but unauthorised construction in setback areas must remove those structures within the notice period. Similar action will also be taken against properties that have been fully converted from residential to commercial use without sanctioned building plans. Setback areas refer to the mandatory open spaces that must remain between a building and the boundaries of its plot under planning regulations.
The exercise follows the Supreme Court's directive rejecting the regularisation of illegal constructions and emphasising that the passage of time or administrative inaction cannot legitimise unauthorised developments. The court has also ordered a broader survey across Meerut and its outskirts to ensure uniform enforcement of planning regulations. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for 21 September.
The proposed demolitions have raised concerns among traders operating from the affected properties, many of whom have expressed apprehension about the impact on their businesses and livelihoods. UPHDB officials, however, stated that all affected parties would receive notices and be given an opportunity to comply with the court's directions before any demolition is undertaken.
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