TMC squad gets heavy police protection as diva demolitions gain momentum

In yet another major demolition drive in the rural belt of Diva in the past one and a half month, the anti encroachment squad of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) dealt a body blow to upcoming illegal buildings in the region on Wednesday. The squad razed down several multi storeyed buildings and hundreds of illegal structures during the major drive.
A 150 strong force of civic staffers aided by three heavy duty bull dozers as well as six JCB machines took to the village in the afternoon. The squad had the protection of more than 100 cops from the city police force. A fire tender and an ambulance also accompanied the civic team on the drive to meet any eventuality.
The action began at around 1 PM at Khardi village near Bharat Gears company under the leadership of Ghanshyam Thorat, the Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC) of the Mumbra Ward Council (MWC). Dr BG Pawar, the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) was away on election duty at that time in Bhiwandi as the Electoral Returning Officer (ERO) of the Bhiwandi parliamentary constituency.
The civic squad demolished a ground-plus-three storey illegal upcoming structure in the village with the help of heavy duty bull dozers. A ground-plus-two storey illegal structure and the plinth of an upcoming commercial building within half a kilometer from the company were also pulled down to the ground in the action by the civic men and machines.
The convoy of civic and police vehicles then turned its attention to Diva and Dr Pawar joined the action there after returning from his election duty. Two ground plus three structures near the Dativli crematorium bite the dust due to civic bull dozers. Two ground plus two structures and two plinths in the vicinity also turned into ruins due to the deadly civic action.
The squad continued its onslaught on other illegal structures of the area. The brickwork of more than 59 commercial galas were also broken down by the civic machines even as groups of builders and their men watched the destruction from a distance. No one however dared to obstruct the civic squad for feat of police action.
Although the civic drive started later in the day it continued till there was almost pitch darkness. It was almost 8 PM when the civic men and machines began to return to their base after the operations.
"In terms of homes and structures we razed down more than 200 structures during the day," the DMC told Thane Plus. He added that the action was a routine one and would continue till the illegal construction industry of the region is brought to its knees. The official further added that the drive against unauthorized structures in the city has been going on since September 5 but the lack of expected police co-operation is undermining the civic attempts to bull doze upcoming illegal structures.
The DMC also added that some developers from Diva have sought status quo orders from the court to evade civic action. The owner of a mega upcoming complex in the area is one of them but the TMC is determined to challenge the orders in the court. "The developer is carrying out construction of the building and we have taken photographs of the violation of the orders and placed it before the court," DMC Pawar further said.