A Jaipur municipal councillor has begun an indefinite sit-in at the Hawa Mahal-Amer zone office, alleging that officials failed to act against construction at several locations in the Walled City despite a written complaint.
Ward 138 councillor Deepika Sharma staged the protest on Monday, naming locations along Ramkunj Marg, Gangapole Road and Bandari Ka Naka. She alleged that construction work was continuing at three to four sites and that the Jaipur Municipal Corporation had not issued sealing orders or taken effective enforcement action.
Sharma said construction behind a hotel on Gangapole Road continued even after she submitted a written complaint on October 28. She further alleged that a Shiva temple and a stepwell were being covered to facilitate construction. According to her, idols were removed from the temple overnight and concrete slabs were laid at the site in the presence of security guards.
“Construction is underway at three to four locations, including behind a hotel on Ramkunj Marg, Gangapole Road, and opposite a government school at Bandari Ka Naka. The officials have not issued orders for sealing or taking action against these structures, which is why I am protesting,” Sharma said.
The councillor said the sit-in would continue until Hawa Mahal-Amer zone deputy commissioner Santlal Makkad issued notices to stop the alleged illegal constructions and provided written orders for sealing and further action. The report does not establish whether the structures comply with building permissions or whether the municipal corporation has completed any formal inspection or adjudication of the complaints.
The allegations place enforcement responsibility at the zone level, where municipal officials are expected to respond to complaints involving unauthorised construction. The reported locations include roads and lanes within Jaipur’s historic Walled City, where construction activity, public access and the condition of older civic and religious structures intersect. The available report does not specify the ownership of the sites, the nature of the proposed construction or the permissions allegedly held by the builders.
The protest is not Sharma’s first confrontation with the Hawa Mahal-Amer zone office. Last month, she staged another sit-in over sanitation conditions in her ward. She had alleged that cleaning was inadequate in inner lanes even though the main roads received attention. She also raised concerns about broken sewer and drainage chamber covers and irregular visits by garbage collection vehicles.
The earlier sanitation protest reportedly followed the suspension of 10 sanitation workers and an inspector. The latest protest shifts attention to construction enforcement and the municipal corporation’s response to complaints about structures in the Walled City.
Attempts to contact deputy commissioner Santlal Makkad for a response were unsuccessful, according to the report. The next formal step sought by Sharma is the issuance of notices and written sealing orders by the Hawa Mahal-Amer zone office.
