Three two-storied buildings at Patilpada in Khar Danda were razed by the BMC on Saturday for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
Three two-storied buildings at Patilpada in Khar Danda were razed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday for violating the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
The demolition was undertaken as part of municipal commissioner Jairaj Pathak’s drive against the construction of illegal buildings in the western suburbs.
Milind Shambarkar, deputy municipal commissioner (special) in-charge for carrying out demolitions in the suburbs, said: “People who live in the gaothans that face the sea cannot violate CRZ norms, and the land belongs to the collector.”
Prakash Shyam Dhama, Paresh Dabhole and Krishna Janardhan Kale have been named responsible for erecting the illegal buildings. A member of Janardhan Kale’s family said: “We were going to perform the house warming ceremony on Monday. Why didn’t the BMC take action when the foundation for the building was laid? Why did they have to wait for the building to be constructed? We are aware of the laws and we proceeded accordingly.”
Another disgruntled family member said: “We took a loan of Rs4 lakh for constructing this building? Who will compensate us for the loss? We want to go about this legally. We want a law that allows us to construct bigger houses for our expanding family.” The Kales are currently renting out a nearby cottage. When asked about the BMC’s delayed action, Shambarkar said:
“Stop-work notices were issued to the concerned parties by the collector in October, and later by the BMC in December.” BMC’s demolition drive, however, has managed to incur the wrath of the residents in the wadi, as the debris kept falling on neighbouring houses. “Do they want to kill us?” asked one resident.
Many residents in the area empathised with the Kale family. One said: “We are the original sons of the soil. Why are they targeting our Khar Danda gaothan? No action is being taken elsewhere.”
However, some like Dinesh Jain, are pleased with the BMC’s action. “Our gaothan is noted for its pristine cottages, and they should be preserved. When we complained, the builders would threaten us.”
The BMC will continue with the demolitions. “We plan to demolish a 9,000 sq ft commercial structure in Khar Danda on Tuesday. We are also undertaking a survey of gaothans in Juhu, Manori and Versova,” said Shambarkar.
b_linah@dnaindia.net
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