Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday reprimanded BMC for not taking any action for removing encroachment from RC Naka, Chembur that is causing huge traffic problem on the busy road. While hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Chembur Citizens Forum the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar came down heavily on the BMC for not removing encroachment on the busy road. Petitioner’s lawyer Uday Warunjikar said the original width of the road was 36.50 meters but now due to encroachment it is reduced to 24-27 meters. He also told the court that a pillar for monorail has been placed in the middle of the road.
The bench noted that as per earlier HC order there were 26 shopkeepers on this road but now the number of shops and residential units have been increased to around 200. “If you sit on this issue for another year than the encroachment will increase to manifold,” said Justice Chellur adding, “When you don’t take action against illegal encroachment for any reason it encourages encroachers to do more unlawful acts.”
The HC was informed that the encroachment was removed few years ago but the encroachers have come back. The bench said that if BMC is not taking any action for whatever reason the court would hold it responsible for any untoward incident happen at this place.
