A Division Bench comprising Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice A N Jindal directed the NHAI and the Panchkula Police to remove encroachment from the area abutting NH-22, to the extent of demarcation as contained in the demarcation report.

Directing the authorities to act tough, the Bench held: “It is made clear that looking into the conduct of unauthorised occupants, the authorities concerned shall deal with resistance, if any, from such occupants firmly and in accordance with the law. However, we hope that the occupants, while acting in the larger public interest, will remove the encroachment on their own by Sunday evening.”

They have also been directed to give the offenders an ultimatum till the midnight of February 1, and have been asked to make the necessary announcements on loudspeakers. The entire market on the Kalka-Shimla highway, meanwhile, was closed today as a mark of protest.