Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) through its lawyer today has submitted an assurance in the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court stating that if petitioners possess valid building permissions and occupancy certificates, and their properties are affected by the proposed road widening, then further action will only be taken after issuing notices and following due legal process. Accepting this assurance, the bench comprising Justice Manish Pitale and Justice Y G Khobragade disposed of five petitions on Wednesday (July 9).
However, for petitioners from Padampura village who lacked building permissions or had not regularised their properties under the Gunthewari Act, the court denied interim relief (stay).
What were the petitions about?
The road from the Railway Station to Baba petrol pump, originally 30 meters wide, is proposed to be widened to 35 meters. Petitioners argued that without any prior notice or warning, the Municipal Corporation marked their properties for demolition.
The five petitioners — Brijlata Arun Sikchi, Arun Sikchi, Tarvindersingh Dhillon, Usha Nagpal, and Rumi Dinshaw Printer (who owns a petrol pump) stated that they had valid construction permission and occupancy certificates, the High Court accepted the Corporation’s statement that future action would follow due legal procedure and notices, and thus disposed of their petitions.
Properties in Padampura
The municipal corporation requested the court not to grant a stay to the petitioners from Padampura gaothan area who do not possess building permissions or have not regularised their constructions under the Gunthewari Act. The municipal corporation brought into notice of the court that it had already initiated action by clearing the encroached parts of their properties, and the court allowed them to amend their petitions and apply for regularisation under Gunthewari within 7 days. The hearing on these petitions is scheduled for 8 weeks later.
Adv. Devdutt Palodkar represented the Sikchis, Ramchandra Marmat and others. Adv. Anil Bajaj, assisted by Adv. Ram Malani and Adv. Vidhan Khinvasara, represented Dhillon and Nagpal. Adv. Sambhaji Tope appeared for the municipal corporation. Chief Government Pleader Amarjitsingh Girase represented the State.
Court appreciates anti-encroachment drive
The bench expressed satisfaction with the municipal commissioner’s campaign to remove encroachments and improve traffic flow in the city.