Overview

• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has demolished five unauthorized buildings in Versova’s Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) over a five-day operation, with 35 more structures identified for future action.
• In a separate drive, the P-North ward demolished nine illegal constructions in Madh and plans to raze 101 more by the end of May, targeting structures built using falsified CRZ maps.
• CRZ rules prohibit construction on marshy, ecologically sensitive land without proper approvals, with recent investigations uncovering fraudulent documentation by builders.
• The demolition in Versova involved 80 BMC personnel, police support, and heavy machinery, addressing safety risks posed by unstable construction on marshland.
• Past enforcement efforts were hindered by alleged political interference and a builder-official nexus, prompting calls for stronger vigilance and accountability at the ward level.