From correspondents in India, 09:02 PM IST

Municipal authorities have launched a massive demolition drive against illegal constructions in posh residential areas here.

The Municipal Corporation of Ghaziabad has also issued notices to over 1,000 influential property owners who have covered open drains or built kitchen gardens on public land.

Municipal Commissioner Ajay Shankar Pandey has set up five teams to cover the areas of Kavi Nagar, Mohan Nagar, City Zone, Vasundhara and Vijay Nagar to report on illegal structures.

Yellow cards will be issued to defaulters, who will also be fined for the encroachment made on corporation land, senior officials said.

The corporation carried out massive demolitions of illegal constructions last week in areas such as Ambedkar Road, Surya Nagar, Chander Nagar and Brij Vihar.

'The razing of illegal structures will resume more intensively from June 26,' Pandey said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)