Royal China restaurant at Bandra’s Turner Road demolished

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished restaurant Royal China in Bandra West on Friday. The civic body demolished almost the entire structure, saying it had encroached upon an open space.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished a restaurant, Royal China, in Bandra West on Friday. The civic body demolished almost the entire structure, saying it had encroached upon an open space.

People look at what is left of the restaurant at Turner Road in Bandra on Friday. (Satish Bate/HT)

The restaurant had earlier got a stay from the Bombay high court, which was recently lifted. The H-West ward then undertook the demolition of the entire structure. The demolition was halted on Friday afternoon after the eatery got a stay order from the city civic court. However, 75% of the structure had already been demolished, according to officials.

“We have almost demolished 75- 80% of the structure. We stopped the demolition as the restaurant’s management produced a stay order by afternoon. We will continue with our action against the restaurants in this ward encroaching upon footpaths,” said Sharad Ugade, assistant municipal commissioner.

According to officials, these open spaces around the building are compulsory as they provide a refuge for fire control vehicles and water tankers during hazards like fire.

These actions are as per the civic chief Ajoy Mehta’s order to deputy municipal commissioners and the assistant municipal commissioners . Mehta had ordered for action against the encroachments and illegal extensions of buildings in their wards and to free up the footpaths for pedestrians.

The BMC has initiated special drives against restaurants encroaching upon open spaces by building either a waiting or dining area. In Bandra alone, the civic body had demolished several eateries on the way to the station and reclamation and also cancelled their licences as they were blocking pedestrian movement.

The BMC’s demolition drive

May 27, 2016:The BMC demolished several eateries near Bandra railway station and eight eateries near Bandra reclamation to decongest the area.

These included Hotel Yadgar, Danish Kabab corner, Seekh Kabab Corner among others.

Some of these were ground+1 structures and were AC restaurants also.

June 23, 2016: Illegal extensions of popular eateries—Salt Water Cafe,Shiv Sagar and Chopsticks on Veer Nariman Road in Churchgate — were demolished.

July 2016: The civic body in its drive against unauthorised extensions of buildings on recognised open spaces, demolished the encroachments of three popular eateries at Phoenix Mall in Lower Parel

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