Mumbai: The BMC officials from P North ward on Thursday demolished 63 shops and shanties which were illegally built on Marve Road in Malvani, Malad on a 6.91-acre land plot where the civic body was mulling to develop a theme park.
Encroachment by owners of furniture shops and shanties
The land located in front of Atharva College was encroached on by owners of furniture shops and shanties. The local MP Gopal Shetty had suggested the BMC develop the space in a manner similar to the Vedic-theme park at Noida Sector 78, which was once a dumping ground. The Mumbai suburban collector directed to hand over the land to the BMC for garden development in July. After acquiring the land, the civic body immediately sent notices to illegal furniture shops.
“The owners of shops and slums were given time to submit their eligibility papers. After scrutinising their papers, eight shops were found to be eligible for compensation. The owners will be later given monetary compensation or alternate space,” said an official from BMC’s P North ward.
For the demolition, the BMC deployed a team of 14 engineers and 62 workers, including three JCBs, one porcelain, and 60 dumpers for the action against encroachers. The civicwill now erect fencing on the plot to prevent encroachment in the future.
