Bengal’s BJP govt serves demolition notices 2 days ahead Eid
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Representational.
Kolkata: Residents of Kolkata’s Muslim-majority Tiljala–Topsia neighbourhood have been gripped by fear ahead of Bakrid after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) issued demolition notices to several residential buildings, declaring them unauthorised constructions and warning of possible bulldozer action if occupants fail to vacate within 48 hours.
The notices stated that the structures allegedly violate provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980. Residents were directed to vacate or remove the disputed constructions by May 27, failing which civic authorities could proceed with demolition and recover the costs from owners or occupants.
The action has sparked panic among families who have lived in the area for years, many having purchased flats through bank-financed transactions. Several residents questioned how properties now labelled illegal had previously secured loans and approvals from financial institutions. With only days to respond, many families say they face uncertainty over housing arrangements ahead of the festival.
Among the properties served notices were Elite Prime on G.J. Khan Road and the gated residential complex Home@57. Reports also indicated that former Trinamool Congress municipal councillor Javed Ahmed Khan was among those who received notices. Residents of some affected buildings disputed the allegations of illegal construction and maintained that their properties were developed through authorised processes.
Local residents alleged that many of the buildings were constructed by developers linked to influential political figures and claimed that several developers have since become unreachable, leaving flat owners to deal with the crisis.
Civic officials have described Tiljala–Topsia as a major hotspot for unauthorised construction, with a large number of buildings allegedly erected illegally over the past two decades. The demolition notices come amid West Bengal’s statewide crackdown on illegal structures launched under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s administration following a deadly factory fire in the Tiljala area, a campaign that has also seen action against several political properties.