Gurugram, Apr 26 (IANS): Following a direction given by the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the enforcement team of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has demolished more than 260 illegal makeshift shops at the popular Banjara Market located in Sector 56, an official said on Tuesday.

The demolition drive will continue till Wednesday.

Banjara Market, famous for affordable home decor, traditional handicrafts and furniture items, had come up illegally around 15 years ago on the state government's 25-acre land and despite several notices, the illegal occupiers were not vacating.

Estate officer-2 of HSVP (Gurugram) Jitender Kumar said that most of the shops and slums have been cleared and the remaining illegal encroachment will be cleared within two days.

The demolished area is part of the 25 acres of land where various projects from college to official accommodations for the Income Tax Department are proposed to be set up.

The market is located adjacent to an under-construction housing complex for judicial officers.

The official said that shopkeepers were given time to relocate and the action was taken after they ignored several notices to remove encroachments.

During his recent visit to Gurugram to chair the district grievance committee meeting, Khattar had directed officials to clear the encroachments from HSVP land and demolish the market.

"We will start fencing the area along with the drive to protect the land from encroachers and strict action will be taken if anyone is found encroaching the land again," the official added