The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation demolished newly built illegal chawls, rooms, plinths and extensions in Titwala’s Balayani area after construction activity increased during the corporation’s five-day Diwali holiday, according to a report by Loksatta – Thane.
The action was carried out on Thursday by the encroachment control team under the direction of Anita Rathod, assistant commissioner of the Titwala A ward. The corporation used excavation machinery to remove several structures, while some recently built works were pushed down manually because the construction was still wet and incomplete.
The demolition drive covered parts of Balayani, including the Kokan Nagar area near Gausia Mosque and the area behind the Balayani Dargah. A completed room and another structure that was still under construction were demolished near the mosque. Behind the dargah, the team removed an unfinished two-room structure. Illegal chawls and plinth-level construction were also brought down with the help of machinery.
The report said some property operators and residents had apparently used the holiday period, when municipal officers were not expected to visit construction sites, to carry out new work or add height to existing homes. The structures were described as having been built during the five-day Diwali break. No property operator reportedly came forward to oppose the demolition during the action.
Rathod has been conducting a campaign against illegal construction in the Titwala area for the past two months, with the stated objective of preventing new unauthorised structures in the ward. The latest operation comes amid continued municipal scrutiny of illegal construction in the area, which the report described as being known for unauthorised development.
The issue has also had consequences within the municipal administration. According to the report, action taken by municipal commissioners over illegal construction in Titwala during the past three years led to the suspension of two assistant commissioners. The report said this has increased the pressure on assistant commissioners working in the A ward to ensure that unauthorised structures do not emerge in their jurisdictions.
The corporation’s recent action follows an earlier enforcement campaign led by former assistant commissioner Pramod Patil. During a two-year period, Patil reportedly demolished between 4,000 and 5,000 illegal chawls and commercial units in the area. The report said demolition of two or three illegal structures each day became a regular practice during that period, and residents and local elected representatives had subsequently requested that he be appointed again as assistant commissioner of the A ward.
The latest demolitions indicate that the municipal enforcement effort is focusing not only on completed buildings but also on structures at the foundation and construction stages. The report did not provide details about ownership, notices issued, rehabilitation arrangements or any legal proceedings connected with the demolished properties.
