Bhiwandi Residents Protest Demolition Despite Court Order

On Tuesday, residents of Bhiwandi staged a protest outside the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) headquarters, alleging that civic officials had demolished their properties despite a civil court's injunction. The protest was led by former BNCMC Leader of the House Vikas Nikam and former Deputy Mayor Ahmed Siddiqui.

The dispute pertains to properties bearing House Nos. 54 and 58, along with eight other structures located on Survey No. 95 (City Survey No. 4326) at Nizampura. According to the protesters, these properties have been recorded in the names of Khalil Ahmed Sheikh and his family since the Gram Panchayat era, and property tax has been regularly paid to the civic body.

Despite these records, officials from BNCMC's Ward Committee No. 1 allegedly carried out a demolition drive on July 15 after declaring the structures unauthorised. The protesters alleged that the action was undertaken by Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sameer Javare along with Beat Inspectors Ramakant Mhatre and Ravindra Jadhav without conducting proper verification of ownership and legal documents.

The protesters further alleged that the municipal administration had mistakenly issued notices in the name of one Gaurav Pure, who has no ownership or legal connection with the disputed properties. They said Pure had responded to the notice by informing the civic authorities that the properties belonged to Khalil Ahmed Sheikh and his family and had also brought to their notice that a civil court in Bhiwandi had already granted a permanent injunction in connection with the dispute.

According to the protesters, despite being fully aware of the court's order as well as the actual ownership of the properties, civic officials proceeded with the demolition under alleged political pressure. They claimed the action caused substantial financial losses to the property owners and amounted to contempt of court.

The protest witnessed the participation of Samajwadi Party state secretary Riyaz Azmi, city president Anas Ansari, former corporator Matloob Sardar, Hamid Shaikh, Comrade Vijay Kamble, and several affected residents. Addressing the gathering, former Leader of the House Vikas Nikam demanded the immediate suspension of Assistant Municipal Commissioner Sameer Javare and Beat Inspectors Ramakant Mhatre and Ravindra Jadhav, holding them responsible for the demolition.

Former Deputy Mayor Ahmed Siddiqui alleged that several unauthorised five- to seven-storey buildings continue to exist within the jurisdiction of Ward Committee No. 1 despite directions from the Bombay High Court for action against illegal constructions. However, he claimed that no action has been initiated against those buildings.

The protest highlights the ongoing issues of unauthorized constructions and demolitions in Bhiwandi, and the need for civic officials to follow due process and respect court orders. The residents are seeking justice and compensation for their losses, and are demanding that the authorities take action against the officials responsible for the demolition.

The incident has sparked concerns about the rule of law and the protection of property rights in Bhiwandi. The residents are hoping that the authorities will take immediate action to address their grievances and prevent such incidents in the future.

In conclusion, the protest by Bhiwandi residents against the demolition of their properties despite a court order is a significant issue that highlights the need for transparency and accountability in civic governance. The authorities must take immediate action to address the grievances of the residents and ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.