Campa Cola society demolition: BMC completes hearing with residents, to examine docus

The BMC has to examine its 2010 show-cause notice by July, the deadline set by Bombay high court.

The Mumbai civic body will now examine the show-cause notice it had sent in 2010 to leasee M/s Pure Drinks Pvt. Ltd., asking why it should not terminate the 999-year lease and demolish the illegal structures — residential buildings in the Campa Cola compound — on the Worli plot, after it concluded hearings with residents of the compound last month.

The residential complex has been mired in controversy for years owing to illegal constructions that led to a demolition order. (HT File Photo)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will now examine evidence, as per a Bombay high court directive, said a senior civic official, requesting anonymity.

The court had directed additional municipal commissioner AL Jarhad to conduct hearings with residents of Campa Cola compound, and had given the BMC four months to examine its 2010 notice.

“In March, the high court gave us four months, so we still have time. But it won’t take that long, as the hearing is over. We will examine the documents and evidence submitted during the four sessions with residents before we decide on anything,” said the senior civic official.

After leasing the plot from the state government, Pure Drinks sold a portion of the plot to a developer, who built the housing complex. Years later, in 2010, the BMC issued Pure Drinks a show-cause notice, asking it to explain why the lease should not be terminated.