Mayor to survey Garden Reach area for illegal constructions post Eid

Kolkata: At a time when the engineers are learnt to have complained of facing threats from promoters who are in the business of illegal constructions, Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s (KMC) Mayor Firhad Hakim has decided to visit Garden Reach after Eid to survey the area for unauthorised constructions.

The civic body, presently, has been exploring all options apparently to tackle the menace of illegal constructions ever since the collapse of the under construction building in Garden Reach killed 13 persons. Following the tragedy, the Mayor has squarely put the blame on the engineers, alleging that they are the ones responsible for keeping a vigil for such unauthorised constructions. However, things have now taken a turn with the Mayor expressing solidarity with the engineers and recognising the tough situations they face while trying to crack down on the promoters of illegal constructions. Several reports have reached him on how they are threatened by these developers who brag about having connections in the “higher levels”. One such area where the engineers often fear entering, by their own admission, is the port area in Garden Reach which has often hit the headlines for gruesome crimes.

Hakim, who is also the MLA of Kidderpore, has now decided that he will himself go on a survey in the port area for inspection of unauthorised constructions. He is also set to hold a meeting with the sub-assistant engineers to discuss measures to tackle the problem. Recently, the Mayor formed a central squad demolition team for razing to ground the unauthorised constructions.

He has said that the demolition team will be accompanied by police from Lalbazar headquarters. The team will be based out of the KMC headquarters. Further, the civic body has decided that the illegal constructions where stop work notices will be served, a security guard will be posted for vigilance.