BMC demolishes illegal lift at Wankhede stadium

A day after issuing a demolition notice to an unauthorised lift at the Wankhede stadium, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began initial demolition work of the structure on Thursday.

A day after issuing a demolition notice to an unauthorised lift at the Wankhede stadium, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began initial demolition work of the structure on Thursday.

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The temporary lift was constructed by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to be used during the ongoing fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, which began on April 4.

Confirming the demolition, additional municipal commissioner (city division) Mohan Adtani said: “On Thursday, officials from BMC’s A ward cut the iron girders that were installed to build the lift. About 25 percent of the work is done and the remaining will be finished on Friday”.

The makeshift lift first came under the civic body’s lens on March 31, when an inspection of the stadium was conducted by A ward officials. Subsequently, after the MCA failed to submit the permissions required for the structure, a stop-work notice was sent to the body on April 3. But a delay in slapping a demolition notice was caused by the BMC apparently because of lack of adequate manpower.

However, MCA had requested the civic body to stay the demolition a day after the stop-work notice was issued. It had also sent a letter to the BMC seeking its approval.

But the civic body deemed the letter to be inadequate. Adtani said that the cricket body had failed to submit the required architectural plans that were needed in order to regularise the lift. Despite repeated attempts, the joint secretary of MCA, Nitin Dalal, was unavailable for comment.

The lift was being constructed at Wankhede stadium on the request of senior citizens. The stadium is also the home ground of Mumbai Indians, an IPL franchise team owned by Reliance Industries.