Can’t force NGOs out of Topiwala for now, BMC told

In a relief for 13 NGOs housed in Topiwala Municipal School Building at Lamington Road, the Bombay high court on Wednesday restrained the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from taking any coercive steps to evict them for six weeks.

The BMC wants to demolish the building, which is in a dilapidated condition.

A division bench of justices Ranjana Desai and RG Ketkar was hearing a petition filed by Comet Media Foundation challenging the eviction notice issued by the BMC. Comet’s advocate Gautam Patel told the court that his client will file a suit in the city civil court to seek possession of the sealed premises. The court was informed that the civil court has already granted injunction in favour of two other NGOs housed in the same building.

The judges granted Comet four weeks to move the lower court and seek an appropriate order. The court directed the BMC not to take any coercive action against Comet for six weeks. In case it intends to do so, it will have to inform the NGO, they said. The judges said that they are not expressing any opinion on merits of the case.

Comet Media, along with other NGOs like Dignity Foundation, Salam Balak, Granthali and Praja, was operating from the Topiwala Lane building, which was earlier a municipal school. Even the School Tribunal, which resolves school-related issues, is housed in the same building and has not been functioning for the past few months.

Comet’s advocate earlier said that the BMC is considering allowing the construction of a mall in place of the building.