Major Reclamation: Defence Land Cleared Near IGI Airport

In a significant operation spearheaded by the Defence Estates Office, Delhi Circle, nearly two acres of defence land in the Mehram Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment, adjacent to Terminal 1D of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, have been cleared of encroachments, officials announced on Friday. This marks the second major action in the area in recent weeks.

According to an official statement, the operation saw the removal of long-standing unauthorized parking zones, the impounding of numerous vehicles, and the clearance of illegal slums and animal shelters that had taken up prime defence land. The operation was conducted with the cooperation of the Delhi Cantonment Board, Local Military Authorities, and the Delhi Police.

The initiative aims to reclaim prime defence land from illegal occupation for national interest, the statement highlighted. A similar operation took place last week, targeting one acre of land, to remove illegal parking and unauthorized occupations in the same locality.

Today, officials reclaimed two acres of strategically located land near Terminal 1D in Mehram Nagar, valued at approximately 100 crore. The government plans to repurpose this freed land for defence and military objectives.

Given Delhi's status as the national capital, there is a perennial demand for land from government and defence entities, making this operation crucial in the battle against illegal encroachments.

Varun Kalia, Defence Estates Officer, Delhi Circle, emphasized that protecting defence land is crucial not just for territory preservation but also for national security. He labeled encroachments on defence land as covert threats to national security, stating that stringent actions will persist against all violators. The reclaimed land will serve the national interest. It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Defence remains the largest land-owning government body with approximately 17.5 lakh acres distributed nationwide, essential for the strategic and operational preparedness of the military forces. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)