The residents of Campa Cola compound at Worli in south-central Mumbai, where the civic authorities were slated to pull down 35 illegal floors spread across seven buildings, heaved a huge sigh of relief on Thursday, as the Supreme Court stayed the demolition operation and gave five months’ time to the affected families to vacate their flats.
In a ruling that came shortly before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials could begin the demolition operation, a SC bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi directed the civic administration to restore all amenities including water and electricity supply to the seven buildings if they had already been discontinued.
The SC bench, however, made it clear to the Campa Cola compound residents, who had filed a Special leave Petition (SlP) seeking a stay on the impending demolition of 35 illegal floors in seven buildings that it would not give any further time to the flat owners. It directed the flat owners to file an affidavit in the apex court in the next four weeks, giving an undertaking that they would vacate the building before the expiry of five months’ deadline.
Soon after the news about the Supreme Court staying the demolitions reached the Campa Cola compound, the ongoing protests by the affected residents turned into instant celebrations.
Earlier in the morning, there was palpable tension on the Campa Cola compound, where several of the residents were staging dharna against the demolition, scores others – including children – had formed human chains to prevent the civic authorities from entering the premises and some others were performing havans praying for a stay on the impending demolitions.
The seven buildings on the Campa Cola compound premises, where 35 illegal floors were to be demolished by the civic authorities, are: Esha Apartments Cooperative Housing Society, Patel Apartments Cooperative Housing Society, Orchid Cooperative Housing Society, B Y Apartments Cooperative Housing Society, Midtown Apartments Cooperative Housing Society and Shubh Apartment Coop Housing Society.