The Maharashtra government on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that it is "committed" to take appropriate steps against illegal constructions to ensure that the tragic incident of Bhiwandi building collapse, does not repeat. The HC meanwhile, ordered the BMC and all other municipal corporations and councils in Maharashtra to place on record, the data of dilapidated and illegal structures in their jurisdiction.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Girish Kulkarni further issued a directive to the state's urban development department to consider the data and to file a comprehensive affidavit summing up all the submissions and its action plan.
In its affidavit filed through deputy secretary of the urban development department, the state said it has issued time-to-time guidelines for taking action against old and dilapidated buildings. "We have also noticed that many a times such illegal structures are sold to innocent tenants, who are cheated and suffer demolition of the unauthorized construction," the state said.
"The state is committed to take appropriate steps so that the incidents such as the Bhiwandi building collapse doesn't repeat. The state is in the process to list the steps, it proposes to undertake to resolve the issue of illegal structures," the state added.
During the course of the hearing, the judges noted that most of the civic bodies have stayed "silent" on the issue of illegal constructions and only a few have placed on record the details of dilapidated buildings under their jurisdiction.
The bench will next hear the matter on October 26.