HC orders demolition of Dahisar Sports Foundation office building

Mumbai, Mar 1 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today passed an order to demolish the office building of Dahisar Sports Foundation as the land was to be maintained as a playground under the Town Planning Act.

The PIL, filed by former Mayor of Mumbai Hareshwar Patil, claimed the Trust of the Dahisar Sports Foundation built the sports complex, while the land had been allotted to be maintained as a playground by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. The only legal construction allowed on the land was a 'chowki' with some storage space not more then 10 feet by 20 for a watchman, he said.

A division bench comprising Justices R M Lodha and Anoop Mohta directed the BMC to demolish the entire structure except the allowed 'chowki' the court also directed the aouthority concerned not to charge high amount for using the ground after demolition, of which they had already taken possession on February 14.

The court was also told during the proceeding that the ground was near the Vidya Mandir School with more than 5,000 students who belonged to lower strata of the society and this was the ideal playground for them.

The petitioner also told the court that the sports complex charged exorbitant amount as fee for coaching in the sports complex, which most of them could not afford.

UNI ARM/ADG SSS AK RN2221