Nagpur: Ambazari police stood in the way of demolition of religious structure on public road in Bharat Nagar on Friday. Dharampeth zone anti-encroachment squad was ready to remove an illegal Kali Mata temple built in the middle of the road connecting the locality with Amravati road.
Police inspector from Ambazari police station Prasad Sanas said temple was not in the demolition list of the zone. He, however, was quick to point out that residents of the locality agreed to the demolition and that NMC could demolish the temple after they shift the idol. He said tomorrow the zone could demolish the temple.
Senior officials from the zone said the temple blocked direct access to Amravati road from Bharat Nagar.
After the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court flayed NMC for its inaction in removing illegal religious structures, the civic body’s demolition squads launched action in Laxmi Nagar, Dharampeth and Human Nagar zones and removed 15 structures from roads and footpaths across the city under police protection.
Municipal commissioner Virendra Singh and additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare too remained on their toes since early morning.
During the demolition drive, Hanuman Nagar zone did an exemplary job. Soon after it razed a mazar from middle of Umred road, it asphalted the stretch. Kumbhare was present when the assistant municipal commissioner Raju Bhivgade and his team were demolishing ‘Ghode Ki Mazar’ on Umred road. Kumbhare directed the public works department to asphalt the road immediately after removal of structure.
These religious structures on roads were a hindrance to movement of traffic. A total of nine structures were removed in Laxmi Nagar zone and Hanuman Nagar zones, while six were removed in Dharampeth zone. The drive started at 10am. The idols were removed from the structures following all rituals by priests after which the structures were demolished.
Around 100 NMC employees, all four zonal officers, and hundreds of police personnel, four excavators, four NMC tippers were in the drive.
On Saturday, the demolition drive will be carried out in Nehru Nagar, Gandhibagh and Lakadganj and on June 24 (Sunday) it will continue in Ashi Nagar, Mangalwari and Laxmi Nagar zones.
