Chandigarh, Nov. 2 -- In the first such enforcement action against one of the largest commercial centres in the tricity, the Chandigarh administration will carry out demolition and sealing of illegal structures inside Nexus Elante Mall on Sunday. The action comes after the mall authorities allegedly failed to comply with a two-month deadline to remove unauthorised alterations made without mandatory building plan approval. According to officials, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) had issued a detailed show-cause notice to the mall on September 3 following an inspection held on August 8. During the inspection, a team of officers had found extensive alterations and unauthorised commercial activity carried out without permission from the UT chief administrator. "The inspection of the site in question was carried out on August 8 and found that you have altered the building without prior permission of the chief administrator. A total of 10 violations were recorded," the notice stated. It directed the allottee, lessee and occupier to remove all violations within two months and made them liable for charges of Rs.8 per square feet per day for the area under violation. "In case of non-payment of such charges, the same shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue," the notice read, adding that failure to comply would lead to sealing, removal or cancellation of the allotment. Nexus Elante Mall, which opened in 2013, is one of the largest shopping centres in Chandigarh and is known for its extensive selection of stores, restaurants and entertainment options. Owned by Nexus Malls, it features multiple floors and attracts a significant number of visitors from the tricity and surrounding states. Deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav confirmed that the mall authorities did not act within the stipulated time. "A team of officials had carried out an inspection on August 8 and found that the mall had altered the building without prior permission of the chief administrator. Major violations included conversion of 22,000 square feet of parking into landscaping/greenery; running an open cafe in 3,000 square feet without building plan approval; and operating non-sanctioned activities like a staff mess, washrooms and a day-care centre in the basement on another 3,000 square feet area. Accordingly, a notice was issued to them," he said. "After providing proper and sufficient hearing, the demolition and sealing is scheduled on November 2, and will begin around 10 am," the DC said. In a statement to media, the official spokesperson of Nexus Elante Mall said, "We confirm that we have received the notice from the Chandigarh administration regarding certain site-related observations. We are fully cooperating with the authorities and have already initiated corrective measures in line with their directives. We remain committed to adhering to all applicable regulations and ensuring full compliance at the earliest." Sources said mall authorities began hurriedly removing some of the violations late Saturday evening, after receiving the demolition schedule. However, officials said the action will proceed as per plan unless full compliance is verified on site. It is pertinent to mention that UT administration is actively demolishing illegal structures across the city. Last month, it razed Shahpur Colony in Sector 38 (West), the last remaining slum in Chandigarh, making the city completely slum-free....