New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) The DDA on Tuesday carried out a demolition drive to remove illegal religious structures near Sanjay Van, officials said.

Spread over 780 acres, Sanjay Van is a reserved forest and is a part of the Ridge's southern portion. According to the Ridge Management Board, the area should be free from all encroachments, they said.

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A committee was formed under the chairmanship of the South Delhi district magistrate to assess the encroachments. It suggested the removal of various illegal structures from the area, according to the officials.

The removal of the illegal religious structures was approved by the committee, they said.

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Complying with the order, a demolition drive was organised by the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) Horticulture department. DDA officials, Delhi government revenue officials and police personnel were present at the site, they added.

"The illegal religious structures were successfully removed and the removal of a malba from the site is underway. Approximately 5,000 square metres have been reclaimed. The demolition drive was successfully completed without any hindrance," the officials said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)