According to sources, the Administration has recently written to the Union government in this regard and is awaiting its reply.

Sources add that the cumbersome procedure for demolishing illegal structures coming up rapidly in the periphery is sought to be amended, even as the Administration has decided to give top priority to the removal of new illegal structures in the periphery.

According to sources, under the existing rules, a six-week notice has to be served on any individual violating the Act before demolishing any illegal structure in the periphery. This, officials feel, is time enough for anyone to complete the structure. The long time-gap is also considered lenient for violators and is sought to be made more tough with stringent punishment for violators. Officials also fear that if steps are not taken to check the growing illegal structures in the periphery, no future development of the vacant UT land would be possible in the time to come.

Though the Administration has not decided to fix any cut-off date of new structures to be considered for demolition, it will focus on the newly-constructed illegal structures for demolition. Officials add that since the old structures have not been demolished, the public has been misconstruing this to construct fresh structures.

Senior UT officials say the old structures, though illegal, cannot be demolished overnight owing to the limited infrastructure available with the Administration and also due to humanitarian grounds.

Meanwhile, a committee of consultants engaged by the Administration under a retired town planner, E.F.N. Rebeiro, would soon make a presentation to the Punjab and Haryana governments on the utilisation and future planning of UT's periphery.

Sources say a recent survey conducted by the Administration revealed as many as 1,800 illegal structures constructed outside the lal dora of UT villages.

About the recent demolitions in Kajheri, UT officials feel that though it were the unscrupulous property dealers who were behind the cropping up of such illegal structures, they could not be booked due to lack of complaints against them.

They add that though the Administration was keen on initiating action against such elements, it could not be initiated as complainants who suffered at their hands did not come forth with complaints. Sources reveal that while selling agricultural land to gullible individuals, the builders and property dealers managed to delay action on such illegal structures till the purchasers constructed the sites, only to face action later.

About the fixing of responsibility of officials for not checking the cropping up of illegal structures, senior UT officials say all illegal structures have been identified and notices served. About the electricity and water connections, they say these were taken illegally and no official has been found responsible for showing laxity.