Summary:
After drawing severe flak following the death of 13 people in the collapse of Kesarbai building in Dongri, the civic body on Saturday started a demolition drive to pull down unauthorised construction in the B ward. On Day 1, BMC hammers fell on two structures – one on Samuel Street and the other on Mohammad Ali Road. At a meeting of the BMC's standing committee, corporator Makarand Navrekar alleged that he had informed the corporation about five instances of illegal construction in B ward last month. To this, civic chief Praveen Pardeshi replied, "We will take action against the unauthorised work within 24 hours." "The structure 348/350 on Samuel Street had built an extra floor on the rooftop, while hotel al-haram on E Merchant Road too had an illegal extension," said Vinayak Vispute, assistant municipal commissioner..