Mumbai Kamala Mills Fire: BMC’s marathon demolition drive against illegal joints continues

Mumbai: After the big tragedy at Kamla Mill compound on Friday that left 14 people dead having shaken the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) seems to have shaken of its apathy against irregularities at joints which endangered many people’s lives, and is continuing it’s drive to demolish all illegal restaurants, pubs, bars and other eateries and establishments which have been running smoothly for several years under its nose. Two teams, along with labour and demolition machines, removed all illegal parts of P22 and Sheesha restaurants at Raguvanshi Mall. Also, the illegal structures of hotels at Peninsula Business Park and Kamala Mills Compound were demolished on Sunday.

All the civic wards on the second day of the incident continued to demolish illegal extensions, temporary monsoon sheds made of tarpaulin sheets and clapped with bamboo sticks and other combustible material like the Retreat hotel of Madh-Malad, Solitare hotel and Mantra hotel at Malad, Cafe Fumo at Mahalaxmi, which was covered with temporary roofs, China Bistro at Dadar West, Yogi Hotel of Chembur, Hotel Imperial of Andheri East, Hotel Shiv Sagar, Balaji Corner, etc.

In addition, many hotels have been sealed for lack of fire-fighting equipments and slapped with Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) notices which include Mumbai King hotel of Sakinaka, Hotel Spice at Kurla was sealed for using mezzanine floor and violation of open space, Pramila bar of Chembur was sealed for fire safety lapses. Also, illegal gas cylinders have been seized.

On Saturday, the civic corporation demolished around 314 illegal eateries, restaurants, and pubs and others out of a total of 624 and therefore, the remaining illegal establishments been demolished on Sunday. With Sunday’s demolitions, the BMC has so far razed over 600 such structures since the crackdown began, a civic official said.

According to civic officials, around 1,000 civic employees along with senior civic officials went along to demolish these illegal structures and also separate teams were formed to inspect and investigate regarding illegal hotels in all 24 wards of Mumbai.

All the three Additional Municipal Commissioners of Mumbai Municipal Corporation named Vijay Singhal (Eastern Suburb), Idzes Kundan of Westen Suburb and Abbasheb Jarhad (City) were present at different locations of Mumbai to keep a close eye on demolition being undertaken by their subordinates.

ACTION TAKEN ON DECEMBER 31

 No. of Hotels/Restaurant/bars checked: 616

 Action taken against 357

Cylinders seized 426

Hotels or some portions sealed of about 30 premise.

(Breakup – 22 in Kurla ward; 3 each in Dahisar & S Bhandup wards,1 each in South Mumbai and in Chembur)

Action taken on clubs and gymkhanas in Bandra (west) ward includes Khar Gymkhana, Bandra Gymkhana and Wellington Gymkhana