Lokayukta questions BMC over delay in demolition of Bachchan’s bungalow wall

In an order, Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice V M Kanade has said that the corporation is giving lame excuses to delay the demolition.

The order came following a complaint from Congress corporator Tulip Miranda, who slammed the BMC for inaction in the actor’s case and accused the administration of deliberately delaying the demolition.

The BMC has claimed that the demolition was not taken up since they did not find a contractor to do it. According to the Lokayukta’s report, 2-3 metres of compound wall needs to be demolished and 230 sqm area of the bungalow will be affected. On December 17, 2021, Lokayukta Justice Kanade had issued an order calling BMC’s submission a lame excuse.

“In my view, the reason given by the corporation for not carrying out demolition doesn’t appear to be correct. Whenever a project for road widening is undertaken, adequate budgetary provision is made by MCGM (BMC) for implementing the said project. It is obvious that the corporation is delaying the demolition of the boundary wall for one reason or other by giving lame excuses,” stated the order.

The next hearing is on January 19. Earlier, in 2017, the BMC had issued notice to Bachchan for acquiring a part of Pratiksha bungalow adjoining Sant Dyaneshwar Marg for road widening. While most of the road is widened, the stretch in front of Bachchan’s bungalow is yet to be widened.

In 2019, the BMC with the help of collector office had done demarcation of the bungalow plot for the road widening project to reduce traffic via Sant Dnyaneshwar Marg to ISKCON temple.

Following the delay, Miranda had filed a complaint against BMC with Lokayukta’s office. “The BMC’s submission of not having funds and contractors is unacceptable. Civic body has enough funds for work but they are deliberately delaying the demolition. On the same stretch the BMC had demolished other structures in 2017,” Miranda had said.