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BMC resumes demolition drive at Garib Nagar

In a first, charge handed over to an IAS officer under heavy police duty

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The BMC carries out the anti-encroachment drive on Monday
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Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) resumed its demolition drive in the slums of Garib Nagar at Behrampada (Bandra East) on Monday, two days after a major fire broke out in the region while the civic body was carrying out the operation. The work began under heavy police security in the weekday afternoon.

In what is being seen as an indication of the BMC's hardening stance on demolishing illegal structures — including those of hawkers — across Mumbai, in a first, the civic body chief, Ajoy Mehta, has given the charge of the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Removal of Encroachments) to an IAS officer. The post is traditionally held by state-cadre officers. Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Nidhi Chaudhari, posted with the civic legal department, has been given additional charge of the demolition of illegal structures across the city.

Speaking to DNA, Chaudhari said, "The drive shall continue across Mumbai with coordination of all Assistant Municipal Commissioners, Deputy and Assistant Police Commissioners of Mumbai."

Meanwhile, the H-East ward on Monday resumed its demolition drive in the Garib Nagar slums which was suspended after the major fire. The ward officer resumed the demolition drive late on Monday afternoon, and in the presence of heavy police security, and demolished 20 shanties.

However, the ward office has an extended plan of action, which includes demolishing 2096 illegal structures in the region starting from Garib Nagar slum to the ones in front of Bandra Terminus ending at Mumbai airport compound, a senior civic officer told DNA. "We shall continue with our demolition drive with the help of police security. It's a week-long demolition. We surveyed 326 structures in the shanties in Garib Nagar near the Tansa pipeline. Of them, 240 structures need to be demolished. Unfortunately, just 35 are eligible for alternate accommodation," the officer said.

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