HC Questions NMC’s Delay on Shankar Nagar Illegal Structures The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday criticized the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for its delayed action against alleged unauthorized constructions in the Shankar Nagar-Bajaj Nagar area. The court expressed confusion over why civic bulldozers typically remove encroachments within 24 hours in other cases but had remained inactive in this specific location despite legal hurdles being resolved. This observation came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by residents Dr. Lalit Harode, Aseem Baodia, and Mrudula Phadke. The petition highlighted concerns about several restaurants operating in violation of development regulations, leading to late-night disturbances, noise pollution, and recurring law-and-order issues. The court was informed that the NMC had issued notices under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act in 2016 to 27 establishments in the area for alleged unauthorized constructions. The petitioners argued that appeals against these notices were recently dismissed by the state government, removing legal barriers to enforcement. However, no action had been taken to address the violations. The NMC’s advocate, Jemini Kasat, requested 10 days to file a detailed affidavit outlining the proposed measures, which the court approved. The civic body was directed to submit its response within the stipulated period. Senior counsel Akshay Naik, representing the petitioners, clarified that the residents had no objection to restaurants located between Bajaj Nagar Square and Kachhipura Square, including several well-known establishments. Their grievance was specifically focused on unauthorized constructions and activities in other parts of the locality.#nagpur_bench #nagpur_municipal_corporation #shankar_nagar_bajaj_nagar #dr_lalit_harode #aseem_baodia
