New Delhi [India], May 23 (ANI): In a major joint operation led by the Defence Estates Office (DEO), Delhi Circle, nearly two acres of defence land in the Mehram Nagar area of Delhi Cantonment, near Terminal 1D of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, were cleared of encroachments, officials said on Friday.

This is the second large-scale action in the area in recent weeks.

According to an official release, the operation involved removing long-standing unauthorised parking zones, impounding a significant number of vehicles, and clearing illegal slums and animal shelters occupying prime defence land.

The action was carried out with the support of the Delhi Cantonment Board, the Local Military Authorities and the Delhi Police.

'This initiative aims to free prime defence land from unlawful occupation and utilise it in the national interest,' the release said.

A similar large-scale action was taken last week to remove illegal parking and unauthorised occupations from 1 acre of defence land in the same locality.

Today, two acres of land near Terminal 1D in Mehram Nagar, which had been illegally occupied for several years, were reclaimed.

The current estimated value of this defence land is close to 100 crore. The government now intends to use such freed land for defence and military purposes.

It is important to highlight that Delhi, being the national capital, has a constant demand for land from the government and defence organisations.

Hence, today's action is considered highly significant in the ongoing efforts to clear illegal encroachments.

Defence Estates Officer, Delhi Circle, Varun Kalia, stated that safeguarding defence land is not just about preserving a territory but about upholding national security. Encroachments on Defence land are silent threats to National Security, and strict actions will continue against all encroachers. The reclaimed land will be used in the national interest.

It is worth mentioning that Ministry of Defence is the largest land owning govt body with nearly 17.5 lakh acres of land spread across the country. Safeguarding these lands paves way for strategic and operational readiness of forces. (ANI)