Councillor prevents KMC team, police from demolishing 'illegal' construction

Even as the Mayor Firhad Hakim has asked the building department to take strict action against complaints of illegal construction, officials and police were caught in an awkward situation on Tuesday when they were prevented from demolishing one such under-construction building in South Kolkata by the local Trinamool Congress councillor.

Chaos unfolded at ward 102 at Chittaranjan Colony in Bagahajatin when a KMC demolition team, accompanied by police from Jadavpur Police Station, was suddenly stopped by the local Trinamool councillor Seema Ghosh from demolishing the three-storied structure.

The police team and the KMC’s demolition team eventually returned without being able to carry out the orders for demolition. The councillor told the media that it was a matter of misunderstanding and that the building is not illegal. She said that she has spoken to KMC and conveyed the same.

Asked if the under-construction building in the property was served a notice before the KMC sent a demolition squad, she said no such notices reached her or the promoter of the property.

KMC sources said a councillor cannot have any say in whether a structure will be demolished or not if an order has already been issued. Such work is carried out after detailed deliberation. Before an illegal structure is demolished, an initial warning to the owner or developer of the construction is issued.