HC relief for 17 Mumbai suburb residents

Mumbai, Jan 13 (PTI) The Bombay High Court today acceptedthe applications of 17 residents of suburbanAndheri-Versova-Jogeshwari belt, who had sought time todemolish illegal extensions in their authorised buildings.

The residents had approached the High Court seeking timeafter the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) hadundertaken demolition of such illegal extensions in that areafollowing an order from the court in 2009.

The residents in their applications said they woulddemolish the illegal extension themselves.

"If they (residents) do not demolish the structures byApril end, you (BMC) initiate action," a division bench ofJustices D Y Chandrachud and A V Mohta directed.

In 2006, a city-based NGO Disha had filed a PIL seekingaction against illegal structures in that area. The High Courthad in 2009 directed BMC to raze all such illegal structures.

Anil Sakhre, counsel for BMC, today informed the courtthat they have demolished over 1500 illegal structures so farand notices were issued to 4,362 structures. Of these, 114structures have been regularised.