The BMC had issued eviction notices to residents of the illegal floors under Section 488 of the Municipal Corporation Act warning them not to obstruct the civic staff when they initiate demolition.
The residents of the Campa Cola compound have had a long legal fight since 2005 when they first went to court for water connection and regularisation and the court ordered the then municipal commissioner to take time-bound action in the case
The municipal commissioner, instead of taking an action against the builders, served demolition notices to about 100 flats above the fifth floor. The builders had permission to construct the residential towers not more than five floors, but they flouted the norms
The apartments were constructed on land leased to Pure Drinks Ltd in 1955, which was permitted by BMC in 1980 to develop it for residential purposes. Without getting the plans approved, Pure Drinks along with builders, Yusuf Patel, B.K. Gupta and P.S.B Construction Co erected seven buildings, two of which were high-rise buildings of 17 and 20 stories. During the construction period, the authorities issued notices to the builders to stop work
The builders were fined and they paid the penalty and resumed work. After the construction was completed nobody prevented the buyers from occupying their apartments or the buildings from forming co-operative housing societies
Unaware of these violations, the residents bought the apartments believing that they would get the occupation certificates in due course, as was the norm 25 years ago
Families living in the compound had pinned their hopes on Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan stepping in and saving their homes by passing an ordinance that would regularise their flats
However, so far the Chief Minister has shown no signs of relenting and accepting the demands made by the residents. Chavan did not want to go against the legal opinion of the advocate general
The Supreme Court refused to regularise the structure. The BMC issued demolition notice on April 27 ,2013 asking occupants of the illegal flats to vacate within 48 hours.
However, the Supreme Court intervention had ensured that the residents get a five-month window to vacate their houses by May 2014
A policeman stands in front of a gate blocked by residents of Mumbai's Campa Cola housing colony in Mumbai
Policemen stand near an earthmover as residents of Mumbai's Campa Cola housing colony block the entrance to their colony in Mumbai.
Officials from the BMC's building and proposal department scrutinise documents before beginning the demolition process in Campa Cola colony in Mumbai
Personnel from BEST reach the spot to disconnect gas connection in vacant flats in Campa Cola colony in Mumbai.
Residents form human barrier and park vehicles haphazardly at the gates, restricting civic officials from entering the Camp Cola compound in Mumbai.
12 residents and political leaders supporting the residents being taken into custody for creating obstruction during the demolition process of Campa Colony in Mumbai
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