Mumbai: The Nagpada
ward of the BMC on Thursday demolished 25 to 30 illegal shops at Minara
Masjid. This action has come after a small fire erupted in Minara
Mansion building opposite masjid on Wednesday early morning 6 am, the
fire brigade team was unable to reach the fire incident place due to a
number of shops over there.
Udaykumar Shirookar, the Assistant
Commissioner of Nagpada civic ward, stated that they have observed that
due to these shops the fire-fighting team was finding it difficult to
conduct the rescue operation. “Even the fire- tenders were having no
place to make their way to the spot.
Therefore, after the civic officials
inspected the site and found them illegal the structures been razed.
During the demolition drive, 25 civic employees were present. Also, six
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) been confiscated which were kept illegally
in these shops,” added Shiroorkar.
While the residents question on BMC’s action on demolition by raising
questions on how the stalls and shops got licences and the BMC negligent
over the fact that the building of the Minara Masjid is illegal itself.
The BMC took up a massive demolition drive at Minara Masjid area
after the fire incident occurred today early in the Minara Mansion
building in which one Tanzania female citizen was hurt. Now it has
become a common trade of our BMC department that after the incident only
their eyes open and they take action. Kamala Mills Tragedy is fresh
example of the BMC’s negligence.
“The demolition drive by ‘B’ ward started since morning, and the civic
body cracked down on illegal encroachments and all illegal extensions of
the 50 years old stalls, in the road side shopping hub of Minara
Masjid, but I am not satisfied with this demolition drive because the
main reason for the fire incident is illegal building ‘Minara Mansion’
which is totally illegal, Bmc didn’t look at this building why? A local
resident asked the Bmc, but no answer was from the Bmc side, it means
bmc is supporting the main culprit of the incident and taking action
against poor hawkers and 50 years old license holders, which is not
correct” Said one of the local residents of the area on the condition of
anonymity.
According to the local citizens of the area, ‘Minara Mansion’ is
illegally built by “Dawood Lakdawala” there is also ‘Al Safa’ hotel in
which foreign tourist stay over there, both of them violated the Fire
Norms and Bmc rules but surprisingly government agencies have kept blind
eyes and action against poor people. Local also demanded action against
the Builder and Hotel owner, make a inquiry Committee and set up a
investigation team.
