SC suspends demolition at Mumbai housing complex

The Supreme Court Wednesday ordered suspension of the demolition of 96 flats of the Campa Cola housing complex in Mumbai till further orders.

The apex court bench of Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice C. Nagappan suspended the demolition of 96 Campa Cola Society flats which were to be pulled down Wednesday by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on an earlier apex court order.

The court ordered the stay of demolition after senior counsel Fali Nariman mentioned the matter before the court.

The apex court earlier this year had said that these flats have to be pulled down because of violation by the builders. These flats were constructed three decades ago.

In its formal orders passed Wednesday afternoon, the court said its stay on the demolition would continue till further orders. In the morning, the court had stayed the demolition till May 31, 2014.

The court said the attorney general in consultation with the flat owners will submit a proposal to the apex court Nov 19 on how to deal with the situation.

Attorney General G.E. Vahanvati told the court: "We don't want to violate the Supreme Court order but at the same time I (BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation) want to give relief to the flat owners."

The attorney general indicated that the present flats to the extent they are unauthorised will be demolished and in the vacant land new flats will be constructed for the affected residents.