Maharashtra Lokayukta slams BMC over delay in razing Bachchan's bungalow wall citing lame excuses

Maharashtra Lokayukta on Monday slammed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for delaying the demolition of the compound wall of Amitabh Bachchan's Pratiksha bungalow in Juhu for a road-widening project citing lame excuses.

Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice V.M. Kanade in his recent order said that the civic body should issue a notice to the Deputy Engineer (roads) western suburbs over the delay.

He further stated that the demolition work will be delayed by at least a year as things stand now.

Last month, the BMC had submitted that it had not taken a part of the land from the Pratiksha Bungalow plot as it did not have a contractor for the road widening project.

The Shiv Sena-controlled civic body also said it would raze the wall and acquire the land in the next financial year when a road contractor is appointed for the purpose.

"The reason given by the BMC for not carrying out the demolition doesn't appear to be correct. Whenever a road-widening project is undertaken, adequate budgetary provision is made by the BMC for implementation. It is obvious that the BMC is delaying the demolition of the boundary wall by giving lame excuses," the Lokayukta order said.

"It is a matter of common knowledge that after May 30, no demolition work is carried out during monsoon. The work, therefore, would be delayed by at least one more year," it added.

Congress corporator Tulip Miranda had complained to Maharashtra Lokayukta that the BMC had failed to take over the land from Bachchan for road widening since 2017.

He said that the BMC in 2019 demolished the boundary wall of a building premises adjoining Mr. Bachchan's bungalow and took over a portion of its land for the road-widening, but left the actor's bungalow untouched.