Vasai-Virar civic body demolishes 4 more illegal buildings in Agarwal Nagar

The buildings were constructed on partly private and partly public land reserved for public amenities, according to the civic body

MUMBAI: The Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) on Monday demolished four more unauthorised buildings in Agarwal Nagar in Vasai East, bringing the total number of buildings razed since November to 16.

Vasai-Virar civic body demolishes 4 more illegal buildings in Agarwal Nagar

The buildings were constructed on partly private and partly public land reserved for public amenities, said Deepak Sawant, deputy municipal commissioner in charge of encroachment. The occupants of the unauthorised buildings are being evicted, including by force wherever necessary, he added.

According to the VVCMC, there are 41 unauthorised buildings in total in Agarwal Nagar, including the ones demolished. The civic body razed seven of them in November and five more in January.

Sawant said that the VVCMC had to delay the demolition of the remaining buildings until Monday after some of the residents opposed the eviction calls. He added that delays were also due to the time taken to dispose of the debris after the demolition.

“The municipality was criticised for the slow pace of action. Finally, the corporation started taking action in earnest on Monday. We brought more machinery and started demolishing two buildings at once. As a result, four buildings were demolished during the day,” he said.

On Monday, distraught residents of the four buildings were seen sitting in the open with their belongings, watching helplessly as their homes were reduced to rubble. Since the demolitions began in November, some of the residents had pitched tents and stayed in the area for a while before seeking shelter elsewhere. While some shifted to rented rooms, others moved in with acquaintances.

Savitri Shinde, 43, a resident of one of the buildings that was demolished on Monday, said, “The VVMC officers who permitted the construction of these buildings should also suffer and get arrested. Why are we the only ones suffering?”