The Times of India  15.12.2010

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has issued demolition notices to over 23,000 buildings in the region for violating rules, including those pertaining to floor space index. Deputy municipal commissioner (encroachments) Subhash Gaikar told TOI, "A total of 23,332 buildings have been issued demolition notices.''

Following a recent Bombay high court order, the City and Industrial Development Corporation as well as the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation have also initiated action against illegal structures. An NGO, Harit Vasai Saurakshan Smiti, had in 2007 filed a PIL in the HC against illegal structures in Vasai and Virar, following which the court ordered the state to take action against all the 4,95,483 unauthorized structures in Thane district. Uday Warunjikar, counsel for the NGO, said, "I am sure that the faith of common man in judiciary will be strengthened as municipal authorities have started issuing demolition notices to the wrong doers.''

Warunjikar added that so far, Of the 4.95 lakh illegal structures in Thane district, which includes Navi Mumbai, only 11,500 have been demolished so far."

However, NMMC officials stated that they are fully gearing up to execute high court's orders in this regard.

Many of the structures that flout FSI norms include multi-storeyed towers of reputed builders in the city. One such building is a 27-storeyed structure in Nerul, along Palm Beach Road, which was issued demolition notice by NMMC for flouting FSI condition by nearly 918 sq metres.

Municipal commissioner, Bhaskar Wankhede was unavailable for comment, as he was busy in a lengthy meeting with senior NMMC officers, including town planning officials, on this issue.

Reportedly, over 550 towers with over seven floors in Navi Mumbai have been issued demolition notices among the 23,332 structures.