The Indian Express            13.11.2013

Amid stand-off, BMC begins demolition

Armed with more than 150 policemen, the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai police began demolition process of 35
illegal floors in seven buildings at the Campa Cola compound, with two
bulldozers and four truckloads of civic workers Tuesday morning. By the
end of the day, however, only eight electricity meters and gas
connections were disconnected by four teams of 16 workers each, led by
five assistant municipal commissioners.

Of the 102 flats, which are on the list for demolition, the BMC
began the process for eight flats that were already vacated. The BMC,
however, did not attempt to evict residents of the other 94 flats.

The police took into custody three politicians — BMC independent
corporator Makrand Narvekar, his brother and Shiv Sena spokesperson
Rahul Narvekar and MLA Mangal Lodha, besides four residents, who were
restricting the movement of civic officials attempting to carry out
their work. “We detained them for a few hours and let them go in the
evening. We haven’t lodged any case against them,” said Vinayak
Deshmukh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone III.

Jigar Doshi, one of the residents who were detained, said, “We
were standing near the gate with the politicians and protesting the
demolition. The police dragged me to the van. We sat inside the van for
about two hours and spent about three hours at the Byculla police
station.”

Civic officials are expected to resume the demolition work at 9
am Wednesday. “There is a lot of political pressure on us to proceed
with caution. We have surveyed the seven buildings and will continue
demolition work on Wednesday,” said a senior civic official in charge of
demolition.

“As new developments are expected from the Chief Minister’s
Office in response to residents’ plea, we have been advised not to use
force. Depending on the situation on Wednesday, we will plan our course
of action for the day,” he added.

The BMC has issued tenders to demolish the unauthorised portions of
the buildings. Following the Supreme Court verdict in February 27, the
BMC issued a 48-hour demolition notice to residents of the 35
unauthorised floors. Residents, however, approached the Supreme Court
asking for regularisation of their unauthorised floors under permissible
FSI. The apex court directed the residents to approach the authorities
concerned. When the residents applied for regularisation with the BMC,
the latter rejected the application citing the February 27 order of the
apex court, which does not allow local bodies to put obstacles in
executing the order.

The civic body plans to complete the demolition of internal walls
and disconnection of electricity and water connections over the next
two months. Thereafter, an expert private company, as appointed by the
BMC, will carry out the demolition of the main beams, columns and floors
of the buildings. The entire cost of the operation carried out by the
BMC internally and externally amounts to roughly Rs 2 crore. The cost
for demolition will be collected from the residents as per the Mumbai
Municipal Corporation Act of 1888.

Seven high-rise buildings were constructed at the compound
between 1981 and 1989. Illegal floors of Midtown Apartments, Esha Ekta
Apartments, Shubh Apartments, Patel Apartments (two buildings), B Y
Apartments and Orchid Apartments comprise 140 flats. While the builders
were granted permission for ground-plus-five floors, Midtown has 20
floors, Orchid has 17, Esha Ekta has eight, Shubh has seven and B Y and
Patel have six floors each.