The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished illegal portions of six different sweet shops, including a franchise of the renowned “MM Mithaiwala,” on December 28 in order to widen the road in front of Malad (West) Railway Station.
The BMC cited illegal property alteration as the reason for the demolitions, which were done as part of the demolition of illegal constructions.
‘Delhi Sweets’ and ‘Jalpan’ snacks were the major other sweet stores blown down. According to the municipal officials, the long-delayed enlargement of the current narrow road required demolition work. Shop owners protested the BMC’s actions, claiming that they were an attempt by the government agency to “harass” the owners even though nothing was illegal about their shops.
The Bombay High Court has temporarily barred the BMC from continuing with the destruction of the building that housed the renowned MM Mithaiwala shop.
On May 2, Justice NJ Jamadar, single-judge bench, described the BMC notice to the owners of Vasanti Bhuvan and Nathanlal Estate as uncertain and comprehensive while hearing a plea.
The notice issued by the BMC on April 25 says “does not refer to any legal requirements in exercise of which the plaintiff-appellants were called upon to remove the structure,” according to attorney Sanjeev Singh, who is representing Suresh and Bharat Gupta.
Joel Carlos, the legal representative for the BMC, stated that the Dindoshi court approved the local body’s action on April 27 and based its judgement on a prior notice published on November 18, 2022, stating that the building was to be demolished to make room for an infrastructure project. According to him, the notice in question was just an order that carried out the earlier notices.
The HC stated following the hearing that although the April 25 notification initially referred to the construction as an intrusion, it also stated that it was classified as “C-1” for the purpose of prompt demolition. The bench explained that the notification needed to be taken into consideration and directed that the BMC should publish its response by June 6. The HC prevented the civic body from acting based on the notice in the meantime.
With shops selling imitation jewels, a fish market, and other speciality markets open every day, Malad Station is a popular shopping destination. Road improvement in Malad has been a long-standing demand from locals and campaigners.