Navi Mumbai: CIDCO suspends Belapur hill demolition amid landslide fears and ongoing heavy rains

CIDCO had served notices to 30 illegal religious structures

The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra has suspended the demolition of illegal religious structures on the Belapur Hill slope due to concerns about potential landslides caused by the ongoing heavy rains.

The demolition of 30 religious structures began after the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) took suo motu notice of media reports highlighting landslide risks on the hill, which pose a threat to lives and properties on and below the slope.

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CIDCO had served notices to 30 illegal religious structures covering over 3.2 lakh square feet on the hill, - equivalent to carpet area of some 400 flats of one BHK size - information obtained by environment watchdog NatConnect Foundation under the RTI Act showed.

The MSRHC served notices on the state government as well as CIDCO and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation to explain their position.

"Given the numerous structures on unstable slopes, we fear that Wayanad-type tragedies may occur, as illegal construction has also led to the destruction of many trees that stabilise the soil," said B N Kumar, Director of NatConnect. He urged for preventive measures to be taken.

Meanwhile, CIDCO with the help of over 100 policemen, started the demolition but called it off after breaking parts of two structures as the soil started giving in during heavy downpours. "It is risky to continue the operation as the heavy machinery that brings down the structures can also cause landslides," a CIDCO official remarked.

It is a Catch22 situation for CIDCO since they are answerable to the Human Rights Commission, Kumar observed.

Video footage from the hill slope showed cracks on the way and along some walls, he said and agreed with CIDCO that it is a dangerous situation.

"This is exactly what we have been apprehending and which is why we organised a silent human chain protest to focus attention on the landslide threats," said Himanshu Katkar, a resident of Kalpataru Cooperative Housing Society below the hill.

Kumar expressed his shock that the illegal structures, against which the first complaint was lodged in 2015, were allowed to go on for nine years though the construction could be seen from CIDCO headquarters.

CIDCO in its affidavit at MSHRC said the demolition work could not be carried out as planned due to the lack of police security. "We needed security as running bulldozers over religious structures is a sensitive issue," CIDCO said.

NatConnect, therefore, appealed to the Commission to make even the police commissioner a respondent in the case and ask him for his version.

NMMC on its part committed that it would cooperate with CIDCO in the demolition.

The State Revenue Department has informed the rights body that the hill has been handed over to CIDCO, while CIDCO said NMMC is the planning authority for the area. In view of this dispute, the MSHRC asked the State Chief Secretary to make the government stand clear.

The next hearing is slated for August 26.