Sea Princess

After Delhi, the illegal constructions in Gurgaon has come under the scanner of civic authorities as major drives are being conducted across the town to remove squatters and encroachments from the streets and the residential colonies. In a recent move, three enforcement teams from the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) removed illegal occupants from 11 areas in the city which includes Sadar Bazaar, Jacobpura, Rajiv Chowk, Sohna Road, Subhash Chowk, Tikri village, sectors 40, 44, 45, Silokhra and Sikanderpur. These encroachments were also causing congestion on arterial roads.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon on April 10 sealed four banquet halls — Vatika Garden, Shyam Vatika, Lotus Garden and Yadav Garden. Together, the four operators owe the municipal body about Rs 51 lakh as property tax. This is the first time in a decade that the MCG has initiated such an action —many of the banquet hall owners have not paid their property tax for 10 years now.  

After a demolition drive in Asola on March 14 and in Mehrauli on April 12, the South Delhi task force recently carried out a drive in Adhchini. Forty-year-old shops and a room that was found to be encroaching were razed. Not just these places, in March, the Delhi Traffic Police were able to remove encroachments from 32.5 km of roads in the national capital.

In a record of sorts, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has collected Rs 5,150 crore as property tax in the financial year 2017-18. While the civic body has earned Rs 300 crore more when compared to the last fiscal, this is the highest amount it has recovered as property tax ever. However, against its target to earn ₹5,402 crore, the BMC has fallen short. After development charges that real estate developers pay to the BMC, property tax is the highest source of income for the civic body. 

By incorporating small changes, as prescribed under the ancient study of architecture, Vastu, our homes could be turned into a more positive territory. Here is today's Vastu tip.