Chowkies' regularisation: BMC asked to decide within 6 weeks

A division bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and K K Tated was hearing a public interest litigation filed by social worker Indur Chhugani claiming that around 300 police chowkies in the city have been constructed illegally without taking the requisite permission.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamat Pai today informed the court that out of total 391 police chowkies in the city, 252 were illegal.

"Out of this, 61 have been razed by the police department. Out of the remaining 191, the police department has filed application for regularisation of 125 police chowkies before the civic body. Two chowkies have been regularised but the remaining applications are still pending," she said.

The court then sought to know from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as to why no decision has been taken on the applications, some of which have been filed as early as 2005.

"Why are you (BMC) taking so long? Why the delay? Such matters are in public interest and hence steps have to be taken immediately," the court said.

Directing the police department to file regularisation applications within two weeks, the court ordered the civic body to decide on all the applications within six weeks from today.

BMC has to file a compliance report on March 7.