Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): The Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) carried out a demolition drive on Sunday morning at the 11-Mukhi Virat Hanuman Temple complex on Ankapaat Road, located in the Simhastha area.
A building being constructed for saints and ascetics, reportedly at a cost of Rs 1 crore, was reduced to ruins within just three hours.
According to civic officials, a notice had been issued nine months earlier as the construction fell within the designated Simhastha area. At around 6 am, a municipal corporation team arrived outside the temple. As soon as the main gate was opened, two JCB machines began demolishing the building.
By 9 am, more than half of the structure had been reduced to rubble. Pramod Malviya, superintending engineer of the municipal corporation, said the action was taken because the construction was unauthorised and located within the Simhastha area. He added that a notice had been issued in January.
The under-construction 'Sant Niwas' ('dharamshala'), spread across 4,000 square feet within the temple complex, had 20 rooms. Around Rs 1 crore had reportedly been spent on the project.
During the demolition, a civic employee remarked that while the building resembled a 'dharamshala' from the outside, its interiors featured hotel-style rooms. Mahavirdas said he had collected the money by repeatedly seeking contributions from people.
The demolition team, accompanied by police personnel, reached the temple gate at around 5 am. However, the 10-foot-high gate was locked from inside. When repeated knocks by civic officials received no response, a municipal corporation employee climbed over the gate and entered the premises.
By then, temple attendant Kesharinath had also arrived. Once the lock was opened, the team entered and began preparations for the operation. Employees first checked whether anyone was inside before calling in the JCB machines and commencing the demolition.
Seeing the JCB machines and the demolition team arrive, Mahavirdas, the temple's in-charge, was taken aback. He had not expected the civic team to arrive and begin the operation in this manner.
Officials asked him to move aside, warning that falling debris could otherwise reach him. Later, Kesharinath made a video call to Narasimhadas and showed him the demolition underway.
As it was early in the morning and communication with others was difficult, Mahavirdas accompanied Kesharinath to his room.
