Stay on demolition orders by tribunal puts KMC in tight spot

Kolkata: In a bid to remove the obstacle, the Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is soon to consult the Law department for clearing of stay orders on demolition of certain illegal constructions pending at the municipal building tribunal.

The attention of Mayor Firhad Hakim was recently drawn to the cases involving stay on demolition orders of several illegal constructions. He said that the former chairman of the tribunal had stayed demolition orders in some cases. “I consulted the Legal department earlier. They had formed a committee comprising the principal secretary of the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department. I am again going to approach them to see if the tribunal can give the green signal for the demolition of these illegal structures. Many have approached the tribunal to get a stay order,” he said.

Hakim added that the civic body had even approached the Calcutta High Court but were told that they will have to settle the matter at the lower court and in case they feel aggrieved by the lower court’s decision only then the high court shall be approached.

Meanwhile, the high court has recently expressed dissatisfaction with the KMC in relation to demolition of illegal constructions. The bench of Justice Amrita Sinha had questioned how come the civic body takes a long time to demolish such structures which are but erected at a breakneck speed. The court had earlier directed KMC to demolish an unauthorised construction at Ekbalpore but it was alleged that the work is still not done.

The KMC has submitted in court that demolition work has started but it will take some time because the area is a congested one and the civic body is not being able to utilise its machinery for the demolition. The court was assured that the property will be razed to ground in the next three months. The court has given time till December 5,

it was learnt.