Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Nov 4: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished 27 unauthorised commercial structures in Borivali East on Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Court warned that the salary of its commissioner could be withheld over delays in removing encroachments from land reserved for a BEST bus stand.

The civic body also tendered an apology before the Supreme Court and informed it that all illegal structures had been removed from the plot earmarked for the bus stand and administrative building.

Senior advocate RP Bhatt, appearing for the BMC, apologised on behalf of the civic body chief before a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.

"They have implemented [the order], and all structures have been erased now," Bhatt submitted.

The Chief Justice acknowledged the intervention, remarking, "Thank you. Without your intervention, it could not have occurred!"

Bhatt also apologised to the Bench for defending the BMC's conduct during Tuesday's hearing, when the court issued a contempt notice to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide over prima facie wilful disobedience of its earlier directions.

The Supreme Court had observed that the civic body's conduct appeared to amount to deliberate and wilful disobedience of its orders. It had also expressed suspicion that BMC officials were protecting encroachers in collusion with them and collecting 'hafta' from them.

Following the court's directions, the BMC completed the demolition drive on Wednesday at the plot along Swami Vivekananda Marg in Borivali East.

According to a BMC press note, encroachments were cleared from approximately 3,400 square metres of the total 5,800-square-metre plot reserved for the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus station and administrative building.

Around 70 workers and civic employees, including engineers, took part in the operation. Police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the demolition.

The action followed the Supreme Court's warning to the BMC and Maharashtra government that the salary of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide could be stopped over non-compliance with its directions.

BEST has entered into an agreement with Parag Construction for developing the bus stand. The BMC is responsible for facilitating the project by removing unauthorised occupants from the land.

Despite repeated requests, the illegal occupants had allegedly continued to obstruct the development work, while the civic body failed to act on the court's earlier directions. The Supreme Court subsequently took a stern view of the delay and initiated contempt proceedings against the municipal commissioner.