In a significant move to address illegal construction, the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) commenced demolition operations on January 23 in Laxmi Nagar, Nalasopara East. This comes after a court ruling, which found that 41 unauthorized buildings had been constructed on land reserved for crucial public infrastructure, including a dumping ground and a sewage treatment plant (STP). The illegal structures, which include residential complexes, are home to approximately 2,121 flats. Notices have already been issued to the residents, instructing them to vacate their properties. The demolition is expected to clear the land for its intended use and restore urban planning norms in the region.
This action has sparked concerns among residents who have raised questions about alternative housing options and the sudden enforcement of the order. However, the VVMC has stressed the importance of adhering to zoning laws and the need to preserve essential urban spaces for public welfare. The plot on which the illegal buildings were constructed measures around 30 acres, spanning survey numbers 22 to 30 in Agarwal Nagar, Nalasopara East.
Some of the land is privately owned. Sitaram Gupta, a former corporator of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) party in the Vasai-Virar region, and his son Arun Gupta, began constructing the buildings on the land in 2006 without obtaining a construction permit or occupancy certificate later. The structures were deemed unauthorised, and between 2010 and 2012, a few were demolished. The Aagri Sena, a political party, has attempted to reassure the fearful residents that it will take up the rehab issue, as has an NGO called Hindavi Swarajya Pratishthan (HSP). “The builders have cheated thousands of people,” said Fahim Khan from HSP. “Several residents are daily wagers below the poverty line. If they are evicted, they will have to stay on the road.” Khan said the NGO would meet VVMC officers on Tuesday and try to work out rehabilitation for the residents.