Executive Engineer XEN, PWD (B and R), BR Kapoor told Newsline that most of the encroachment had been removed and the remaining structures would be demolished on Friday. He said notices would also be served on the shopkeepers along the highway in Kalka and a similar demolition drive would be launched there as well.

The demolition drive badly affected the traffic on the highway and it took some commuters four to five hours to reach Kalka from Panchkula. Vehicles could be seen lined up till Surajpur, three kilometres from Pinjore. The jam continued till the afternoon, after that police tried to control the situation and stopped all heavy vehicles allowing only the cars and buses to ply. The trucks were made to stop at Madawala (Baddi).

“It was a ten-hour demolition drive in which around 170 shops and residences were demolished that were part of the illegal construction on the national highway. The drive started at around 8 am today and ended by 6 pm. As many as four JCB machines were pressed into service for the work,” said XEN B R Kapoor. He added that about 150 police officials were present during the demolition drive.