Supreme Court sets Campa Cola demolition hearing for Nov 19

The Supreme Court came to the rescue of residents of Mumbai’s Campa Cola building when it took suo motu cognisance and stayed the building’s demolition until 31 May 2014.
The apex court observed that there had been human error in the case, and agreed to consider a proposal to construct a separate building in the premises for those who will be affected by the demolition of 96 flats in 35 illegal floors in the compound.
The court asked Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati to come up with a solution at the next hearing on November 19.
Officials of Mumbai’s municipal corporation arrived at Worli’s Campa Cola compound on Tuesday to demolish the illegal floors in seven buildings after the deadline set by the Supreme Court for residents to vacate their flats ended on Monday. Angry residents’ blocked the gates, preventing the officials from entering the premises.
More than 100 families have been living in the Campa Cola compound for the last 25 years. The residents have been battling for their homes since 2005 when they first went to court for water connection and regularisation. The flats were declared illegal as they have been built without the municipal corporation’s permission.