Squatters block BMC plan to clear pipelines

The removal of encroachments along the water pipelines in the city and suburbs seems to have hit a roadblock.

The removal of encroachments along the water pipelines in the city and suburbs seems to have hit a roadblock.

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday informed the Bombay high court that they were facing resistance from encroachers.

In the first phase, the civic body has to remove encroachers, demolish their hutments and rehabilitate those who are eligible from S and G-north wards.

The BMC also moved an appeal against a stay on the drive ordered by the city civil court following an application by Shiv Shakti Sahkari Sanstha on behalf of the fishermen colony in Mahim.

BMC counsel Geeta Joglekar told the court that despite the high court order, the city civil court had granted a stay.

A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice Roshan Dalvi observed that the BMC should have informed the lower court about the HC order.

Joglekar said the corporation could remove only 314 out of the 1,500 hutments located within 10m on either side of the pipelines in Bhandup, Kanjurmarg and Powai due to resistance from the encroachers.

She added that except for the fishermen colony, all huts were removed in Dadar and Mahim.

The court adjourned the hearing till December 8 and extended the deadline to December 15.