HC allows NTC to raze heritage structures

The Bombay High Court on Friday permitted National Textile Corporation (NTC) to demolish nine proposed heritage structures in three of its mills but restrained private mills from pulling down any of the 23 listed structures in their compounds.

Justice HL Gokhale and Justice SR Dongaonkar passed the order in a PIL highlighting the need to preserve heritage structures in mill lands. Pursuant to court orders, the Maharashtra Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) conducted a survey of the 58 mills in the city, and prepared a list of 23 structures in private mills and 77 structures in NTC mills as having heritage, cultural and architectural value.

The list has been published by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The HC on Friday directed the BMC to submit its report to the state government within three months from May22, the last date for receiving objections and suggestions.

The state government has been asked to finalise the list of heritage structures within two months of receiving the BMC report.

Apart from the nine structures, the NTC cannot demolish listed structures on its other mills. The nine structures that can be demolished are located in India United Mills 2 and 3 and New Hind Mill, which are part of NTC’s integrated development plan for seven mills.

NTC had argued that the layout for the integrated development plan was approved by the BMC in October 2004, prior to any court order. The stay on demolition of the structures was holding up the entire development scheme running into crores of rupees.