BMC had agreed to regularise Campa Cola buildings in 1987

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been firm on going ahead with the demolition of the illegal flats in Worli’s Campa Cola compound, but documents reveal the civic body had agreed to regularise the illegalities in 1987. Kunal Purohit reports.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been firm on going ahead with the demolition of the illegal flats in Worli’s Campa Cola compound, but documents reveal the civic body had agreed to regularise the illegalities in 1987.

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The documents, which HT has access to, lend credence to the residents’ claim that the illegalities in the compound could have been regularised.

As per the BMC’s own calculation, the three builders of the Campa Cola compound paid around Rs.6.56 lakh to the civic body in December 1986 as a penalty for regularising the constructions. The then additional municipal commissioner had, in fact, even issued orders to the effect.

The process, however, did not go through as civic officials stalled it owing to a stop-work notice against the project.

The BMC later demanded Rs4.64 lakh more from the builders as penalty, claiming ready reckoner rates had increased.

“This proves the structure could have been regularised. Builders never told us about this, neither did the BMC inform us in time,” said Umesh Sinha, chief promoter, Esha Ekta society.

Civic officials dismissed this. “The fact that this never happened means it was not feasible,” said Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner. “For us, regularisation is not an option and it is time for us to follow the SC order,” he added.