Jaipur: In a surprise drive on Sunday, the enforcement wing of Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) carried out demolition of remaining properties on either sides of the Lt Gen Sagat Singh Marg between Jharkhand Mod crossing and Khatipura Tiraha towards the Sirsi Road. The JDA team spared just three houses, which had obtained stay orders from the Rajasthan High Court, and a decade-old Hanumanji temple on this Marg.On April 9, JDA first conducted the demolition drive and left around 72 properties after BJP MLA from Civil Lines constituency, Gopal Sharma, intervened, saying that owners had land leases from the erstwhile Jhotwara panchayat. Bhawani Singh Rathore, president of local traders' association, claimed that property owners were not ready for the demolition drive Sunday, especially when their petitions were still pending at JDA tribunal."The team carried out this ‘secret drive' around 4am Sunday. As soon as information reached us, we assembled at the spot and started a protest. We were detained at a police station and released only late afternoon when all properties had been razed," said Rathore. Police confirmed that altogether 30 traders were detained during the demolition drive. However, no cases have been registered against the traders."We are BJP workers and never imagined that the party govt would take such a drastic step against us.

We even tried to get in touch with MLA Gopal Sharma. Although he gave us assurance over the phone, he did not turn up at the spot on Sunday," Rathore added.JDA officials said that the latest drive came following a contempt petition at the High Court. The division bench of Justices Inderjeet Singh and Anand Sharma sought a detailed plan for removing these remaining encroachments by Friday. "On Friday, we submitted the affidavit clarifying our plans. The court ordered us to submit the status of cases pending at JDA tribunal on Monday. Meanwhile, the drive was carried out on Sunday. We are going to report this at the High Court as well," said JDA advocate Amit Kuri.