BMC demolishes illegal shops in Sara-Sahara mkt

Around 150 illegal shops in the controversial Sara-Sahara shopping complex near CST were razed on Monday. The prime plot is owned by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) but has been encroached upon and now hosts a line of electronic goods shops.

Around 150 illegal shops in the controversial Sara-Sahara shopping complex near CST were razed on Monday. The prime plot is owned by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) but has been encroached upon and now hosts a line of electronic goods shops.

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The shops were located in a one-storey building on the plot and were gutted in a huge fire last year. After the fire, additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani had told the media that the market was illegal and would not be constructed again. But it was up and running in a few months. “Around 150 shops were demolished in a joint action by the civic body and CPWD. Now the CPWD has to fence the area and protect it from further encroachment,” said a senior civic official. Adtani confirmed that shops were demolished.

The demolition took about two hours. “We have no idea why BMC has taken action against us now. They never bothered us in the past,” said one of the shopkeepers. The CPWD is currently fighting a case in court to get the plot back.