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Kapil Sharma's tweet brings out more illegal structures

Many such constructions in Aaram Nagar belong to Bollywood celebrities | BMC, MHADA pass the buck

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Comedian Kapil Sharma, if he has violated the law as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims, has company. It's a club he is not unfamiliar with.
It now emerges that Aaram Nagar, in the vicinity of Sardar Patel Nagar, where Kapil stays, is dotted with illegal constructions. A few of them in the 40-acre plot, owned by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), in Versova, belong to Bollywood celebrities.

It's not that the authorities are entirely in the dark. Mahmood Shaikh of Disha, an NGO, had alerted the authorities and had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court (HC) last year. Following this, the HC had even directed MHADA to demolish these structures.

While MHADA says BMC is the Mr demolition, BMC says MHADA is playing it safe and leaving the dirty work to it. And then the blame game starts.
MHADA says it had paid the stipulated Rs 70 lakh for the demolition job to the BMC, but the civic authorities have not acted even six months after the HC order.
This is what S S Zende, MHADA vice-president, wrote to municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta on June 7, 2016. "...the HC had, on December 12, 2015, directed the BMC to demolish unauthorised constructions in Aaram Nagar, for which, according to the court order, MHADA has also deposited Rs 70 lakh with the BMC. However, no effective action has been taken."

Enter BMC. "We had asked MHADA to give us the exact details and markings of the premises that have to be demolished. The authority is the owner of the land and the structures are under its jurisdiction, but we have been given selective help," said a senior civic official.

Counters a MHADA official: "We have taken serious cognisance of the illegalities and have started acting on the complaints. These celebrities who have behind the unauthorised structures and have carried out work inside their premises over and above the permissible limits will have to pay the price."
To NGO Disha, these are hollow words. It alleges that the action was nothing but an eyewash. Only symbolic demolition had taken place.
BMC officials agree and say this is where the trick lies.

"Though there is a list of structures of all celebrities which has to be demolished with us, how can we decide what is legal and what is not? This clarity has to be given by MHADA or else the BMC administration will not only invite the wrath of the citizens but will also end up facing legal cases," said a senior civic official.
The 40-acre plum plot in Versova, and many other such plots in the city, are virtual 'gold mines' for the cash-strapped MHADA, if redevelopment projects are to be undertaken, say real-estate experts.

Several developers and construction companies are already eyeing these plots. When MHADA has no big land parcels left in the city, it is in their own best interests to demolish the land and claim their land back, they say.

So then, why are they not doing it? Calls for another 'good days are ahead' tweet.

We are already in action mode: Ajoy Mehta

BMC chief Ajoy Mehta admitted that he has received the letter from MHADA in June this year and the civic administration has been taking action as and when help is sought. "This is entirely MHADA plot and they are the owners. We carry out regular demolitions in close coordination with MHADA officials as directed by the high court and seek clarity from them as what needs to be demolished. Even in future if they give us clear marking for the demolition we will carry out the same," said Mehta.

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