By Srinivas Iyer | Mumbai
A day after the Supreme Court initiated contempt of court proceedings against Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Bhide over failure to remove encroachments from government land, the civic body on Wednesday demolished 27 unauthorised commercial shops occupying a plot reserved for a BEST bus station in Borivali East.
The demolition drive cleared approximately 3,400 square metres of encroached land along Swami Vivekanand Road, which is earmarked for a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus station under Town Planning Scheme-II. The property is identified as Survey No. 7B and CTS No. 15.
The operation was conducted by the BMC’s R Central Ward and began on Wednesday morning. A team of civic engineers, supported by approximately 70 workers and municipal staff, was deployed to carry out the demolition. Two JCB machines and four dumpers were pressed into service to remove the unauthorised structures. Police personnel were also present to maintain law and order during the operation.
The action follows the Supreme Court’s strong observations regarding the civic body’s failure to clear encroachments from government land, particularly the reserved BEST bus station plot in Borivali. Taking serious note of the delay, the apex court initiated contempt proceedings against Bhide and ordered an immediate freeze on her November salary.
The court’s intervention brought renewed focus on the long-pending issue of encroachments on land earmarked for essential public infrastructure. With Wednesday’s operation, the BMC has cleared all 27 commercial establishments from the reserved plot, paving the way for the proposed BEST bus station project. The demolition marks a significant step towards reclaiming public land for its designated civic transport purpose.
