Water and Sewer Connections Cut to 81 Houses in Gurugram After OC Cancellation
The water and sewer connections were disconnected to 81 houses in Gurugram on January 8, 2025, after the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) revoked the occupation certificates (OCs) for these properties. The affected homes, located in the DLF 5 area, fall under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) housing category and cover plots of 60 square yards each.
The reason for the disconnection stems from claims of rampant illegal construction and commercial activities within these properties. According to DTCP, several homes in the affected area were converted into paying guest accommodations or guesthouses, putting excessive strain on the local infrastructure, including water and sewage systems. A DLF official stated, “Illegal constructions and commercial usage have severely strained the infrastructure across all five phases of DLF. After DTCP revoked the OCs, we were compelled to disconnect the water and sewer connections for these 81 houses.”
The crackdown by DTCP’s enforcement team, led by former District Town Planner Enforcement (DTPE) Manish Yadav, began last month after multiple violations were uncovered. Many of the homes affected by the OC revocation were initially built to accommodate EWS families but later underwent unapproved modifications for commercial purposes. This led to rising complaints from residents, as the unplanned development exacerbated issues such as overburdened sewage systems and inadequate water supply. The residents of these 81 homes have voiced their anger at the disconnections, staging protests to condemn the actions of both the developer and the authorities. A protestor, Priti Mishra, a long-time resident of the area, threatened self-immolation, calling the disconnections “illegal” and “unjust.” She remarked, “People have been living here for the last 15 to 20 years. Where will they go? We will not allow these illegal actions to take place.”
The authorities, however, maintain that the action was necessary due to the significant adverse impact that unauthorized construction and commercial activities had on the area’s infrastructure. According to Amit Madholia, district town planner for enforcement, the revocation of the OCs and the subsequent disconnection of utilities were executed to enforce urban development rules and in line with instructions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “The action has been taken across the five phases of DLF, and we will apprise the court on the next hearing,” Madholia added. Authorities are scheduled to submit a detailed survey report, an action-taken report, and a proposed roadmap to address the issue at a court hearing set for January 10. The situation has sparked further protests, with residents accusing the developers of seeking to clear out space in order to make room for high-end projects. Many feel that the displacement of families, particularly those who have lived in these properties for years, is a tactic aimed at benefiting developers, with little regard for the impact on the residents’ lives.
DLF, on the other hand, has defended its actions, stressing that the disconnections were the result of serious violations uncovered by the DTCP. The developer reiterated that the properties in question were originally intended for EWS families and that the illegal construction and commercial usage were detected during regular inspections by the town planning department. While the residents continue to fight the revocation of the OCs and the disconnections, the case is now in the hands of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. A final ruling on the matter, including a potential resolution for the residents, is expected soon. This ongoing dispute highlights the growing tension between urban development and the protection of residential rights in Gurugram. As more such cases arise in rapidly expanding cities, the balance between infrastructure development, legal compliance, and social welfare becomes increasingly complex.
