Mandarmani: HC extends interim stay on demolition of hotels

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday is learnt to have extended the interim stay on demolition of allegedly illegally constructed hotels at Mandarmani, East Midnapore.

The stay was extended on Tuesday till January 24, 2025 by the bench of Justice Jay Sengupta. In November, the court had ordered an interim stay on the demolition of illegal construction by hotels, resorts and homestays in the beach town of Mandarmani.

The District Magistrate of East Midnapore had directed the demolition through a notification. The single judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha, in its order, had held that there was an immediate threat of demolition of the constructions which the Mandarmani Hoteliers Association members depended on to run their businesses and earn a livelihood. At a meeting at Nabanna on November 19, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed concerns over razing down the 140 hotels in Mandarmani and said that no hotel would be demolished as it would affect the livelihoods of many in the region.

The National Green Tribunal in 2022 had directed around 140 hotels and resorts in Mandarmani to be razed for violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) regulations.