The Times of India                21.04.2013

Demolition drive in Tulsiwadi sparks row

VADODARA: A major row was raked up in Tulsiwadi area of the city where demolition teams of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) reached on Monday morning to raze illegal constructions. Tempers ran high during the drive due to marriages scheduled in the locality and the teams had to postpone the plan.

The demolition teams had come up to clear constructions that had come up on drainage and water lines. Repair work had become difficult on these lines. The area had witnessed a water-borne disease outbreak last year.

VMC officials said besides the issue of repair of service lines, some lanes had been blocked by the constructions. VMC had intimated residents of the area about the demolitions on Monday.

"While we were not told about the weddings then, the residents informed us regarding them on Monday when we reached there," said VMC's encroachment removal and security director Mangesh Jaiswal. Portions of around 350 houses in the area are to be razed.

Former mayor Sunil Solanki, who used to stay in the area earlier, too rushed to the spot along with BJP councillor Manoj Patel and BJP's ward president Bandish Shah. Elaborate police security was also maintained in the area in the wake of demolition plan.

The VMC teams eventually postponed their plan to next month even as residents agreed to cooperate. "They have been informed about the next dates," said Jaiswal. On Monday, however, the teams did raze the compound wall and a couple of constructions of a temple in the area.