105 illegal structures razed at Andheri

After a day’s gap, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) restarted its demolition drive at Adarsh Nagar in Andheri (West) on Wednesday.

After a day’s gap, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) restarted its demolition drive at Adarsh Nagar in Andheri (West) on Wednesday.

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Of the total 973 illegal structures erected in the Maharashtra Area and Development Housing Authority (Mhada) colony, the civic body razed around 90 commercial and 15 residential ones.

“The Oshiwara police provided us with the protection, hence we decided to go ahead with the demolition drive at Adarsh Nagar,” said Ramesh Pawar, assistant municipal commissioner, K-west ward.

“The drive will continue till all illegal structures in the area are cleared,” Pawar said.

The drive was carried out with the help of 50 constables, one platoon of the State Reserve Police (SRP), 50 labourers, and 15 engineers. Four JCBs, five dumpers and five concrete breakers were dispatched to site.

In December last year, the civic body had started demolitions of illegal structures in the Andheri-Versova-Jogeshwari belt. However, the drive had to be stopped temporarily following stiff opposition from residents.

The BMC now plans to carry out a similar drive at Laxmi Industrial Estate in Andheri (West). The Bombay high court in 2009 had issued a directive to demolish these illegal structures.

The civic body has outsourced the demolition work to two private contractors for Rs 2.68 crore.