‘Whose fault is it? Builder’s, AMC’s or ours?’

Why should we let go our property for someone else's mistake? That was the buzz among the shop owners when police were busy trying to disperse the crowd gathered on CG Road to protest the civic body's demolition drive at Shilp Building. 

One of the shop owners in the building Vasant Tirodkar, who approached the court, wondered why AMC had now woken up from its slumber. "This building has been around for last 26 years. Since the beginning, the building is the same, with some added construction in the cellar. We refuse to believe that the civic body was not aware of the type of construction at that time. Why are we targeted after so many years?" asked Tirodkar.

Anger was palpable as the shop owners talked about the AMC drive. "They have been collecting property tax under the commercial buildings category. They come to take measure of property once every four years. Did the AMC official not know this is an illegal construction?" asked Tirodkar.

He said what they wanted from the AMC was just two-day time to vacate the place before it was demolished. "But officials refused this request, even though the civic body waited for 26 years to remove the so-called illegal construction," he said, adding that majority of buildings at CG road were constructed on the same pattern.

Owner of Romano showroom Haresh Samadasani said he failed to understand whose fault it was - of builders, AMC officials or their own as they bought the shops on the premises? "The space was used as bank premises before I bought this from the builder. Cellar space was used to keep locker's area. Since it was big, I started my business from there," said Samadasani.

While shop owners at Shilp Building could save demolition of their shops because the matter is sub-judice, honorary secretary of CG Road Shop Association Galubhai Kinger said, "We would request state government and high court to come up with permanent solution for the problem.