The Mumbai suburban district collector informed the Bombay High Court that it will demolish parts of eight out of the 48 obstacles in the vicinity of the Mumbai airport.
On July 29, a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik had directed the Mumbai suburban district Collector to indicate steps for demolition of 48 obstacles (unauthorised portions of buildings) violating height norms in the vicinity of the the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
The court had also rapped the suburban Collector for trying to shift the responsibility on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the demotion of these obstacles.
The court had passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Yashwant Shenoy raising concerns over the dangers posed by high-rises located near the Mumbai airport.
An affidavit was filed by the Mumbai suburban district collector Nidhi Choudhari on Monday saying that the collector’s office was facing difficulty in ascertaining the specific details regarding 15 structures of these 48 structures.
It read: “The deputy collector (encroachment removal) has been instructed to hold a meeting with the owners of the eight structures and to ensure the removal of the said structures within a month.”
While eight structures would be demolished in a month, 22 structures have already been removed as per the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL). Further the process was underway to identify the remaining three structures, added the affidavit.
On August 10, a letter was sent to the DGCA and MIAL seeking details of the 15 structures for further action.
“In the absence of specific details such as the nature of the structure, description of the structure and type of structure, it is difficult to cause its removal and to take further action,” the affidavit added.
MIAL had informed the HC that periodical surveys are conducted to check structures violating height limit. In 2010's survey, 137 such obstacles were identified. Of these, in 63 cases final orders were passed. In these cases, appeals were filed and only six bindings complied.
MIAL said that there is neither compliance nor appeal filed by the remaining 48 obstacles and hence these need to be demolished immediately.
The HC m then asked the collector to list the steps to be taken for the demolition of these 48 structures.
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