“When the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is allowing illegal use of its own buildings, how can it act against the common man for making minor changes or changing the use of their private buildings,” Gupta said.

While the GMADA Chief Administrator Vivek Partap Singh was not available for comments, official sources confirmed allotting community centres in Phases VI and XI to district police and the one in Phase 3B1 to judicial courts “on temporary basis”.

However, other sources said the community centre in Sector 71 was taken over by the police “on its own”. Sources added these institutions have not yet paid the rent for using these community centres. And when questioned about “taking over” a community centre without prior permission, the district police, sources said, approached the higher authorities for permission to use them till permanent arrangements were ready.

Meanwhile, to address the residents’ grievance, the GMADA now plans to build a new community centre on over 2 acres of land in Sector 67 at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore.