HC asks clarification from MCD regarding demolitions

New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to clarify as to why it is not taking any action to demolish the fourth and fifth floors of 18,299 buildings in the capital.

Justices A K Sikri and Rekha Sharma today directed Additional Commissioner(Engg) MCD Naresh Kumar, to reply why it was not taking action to demolish the floors built illegally.

The Court had earlier directed the Monitoring Committee to start the demolition work of unauthorised buildings in the capital.

The Monitoring Committee held a meeting with MCD, DDA, NDMC, L&DO and PWD officials and came to a conclusion that the demolitions of the unauthorised constructions will be carried out in a phased manner. It was decided unanimously that the first phase of demolition will be carried out for properties which have four or five floors or are more than 15 m in height, will be demolished.

MCD had put 18,299 properties on the website which were more than 15 m in height. Therefore, a decision was taken unanimously by the Joint Committee to start the demolition work on December 10, 2007 of these properties.

On December 5, Mr Naresh Kumar wrote a letter to the court to halt the demolition work as they want to re-evaluate the unauthorised status of these 18,299 properties.

MCD said since these properties were booked way back in the year 2001 and were put on their official website to be removed as the quantum of unauthorised construction might have changed vis-a-vis unauthorised constructions now.

MCD wanted more time from the Court to conduct a fresh survey to ascertain the unauthorised constructions in these properties.

The bench said the letter by the MCD showed disrespect to the Court and sought explanation as to what were the circumstances which led MCD to halt the demolition process and issue such letters.

The letter was issued by MCD after the Court had passed its orders and if MCD had any grievance it should have come to the Court but now at this stage when all evaluations have been done, MCD wanted to halt the demolition process of the unauthorised constructions which is unwarranted, the bench said.

UNI