The Bombay High Court has granted permission to the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to proceed with the demolition of illegal giant hoardings within the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA), after the owners and advertising agencies failed to comply with earlier directives.
Initially challenged on May 30, when CIDCO issued notices for the removal of the hoardings within 24 hours or face demolition, the owners approached the High Court seeking relief. The court, however, upheld CIDCO’s stance, prompting the owners to commit to removing the hoardings themselves within four weeks, a deadline that expired on June 27.
Subsequently, citing a shortage of cranes as a reason for non-compliance, the owners filed applications on May 28 seeking a 90-day extension. Their advocate, Uday Warunjikar, argued before the court that logistical constraints prevented timely action.
CIDCO’s counsel, Chetan Kapadia, opposed the extension, emphasizing that the hoardings were erected unlawfully without requisite permissions from competent authorities, except for the Gram Panchayat, which lacked the authority to sanction such structures. Kapadia asserted that the High Court’s May 30 order mandated immediate action against the unauthorized hoardings.
In its ruling, the High Court bench comprising Justices MS Sonak and Kamal Khata expressed dissatisfaction with the applicants’ failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe. They noted, “The applicants are nowhere close to compliance of the undertaking,” dismissing the crane shortage justification presented by the applicants. The bench further presumed that CIDCO possessed adequate resources to enforce lawful removal of the hoardings.
The court’s decision to deny the extension underscores its support for CIDCO’s regulatory actions aimed at upholding planning authority and addressing unauthorized constructions within NAINA. The ruling reinforces the importance of adherence to legal procedures in urban development and environmental management, setting a precedent for strict enforcement against unauthorized structures.
With the legal hurdle cleared, CIDCO is now poised to initiate the removal of illegal hoardings, ensuring compliance with urban planning norms and preserving the integrity of NAINA’s developmental framework.
