Now, Carter Road joints to face BMC heat

Authority to send team to demolish illegal extensions in eateries afteru00a0 residents file complaint

Almost a fortnight after the authorities from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demolished the illegal extensions of a multi-cuisine restaurant at Turner Road in Bandra (West), eateries at Carter Road will have to face the music.

On December 8, following court orders, the BMC had demolished 50 per centu00a0 or 1,500 sq ft of Tavaa restaurant that had encroached upon the open space. And now a similar situation has cropped up at Carter Road where BMC will demolish the illegal extensions of eateries after residents of the area complained. "We are going to take action against the eateries that have illegally encroached upon the open space. We have received orders and will take action against the erring joints," said AS Damne, assistant municipal commissioner H-West ward.

Damne added a team would be sent to the places at Carter Road, just as in the case of Tavaa, to take necessary action. An official on the condition of anonymity also added that a team of officials had demolished a portion of rooftop eatery Koyla at Andheri (West) for the same reasons.

This will not be the first time that Carter Road restaurants are facing the heat. In July 2010, the Bandra police had forced more than 20 eateries in the same area to shut shop for three days as they were operating without required licences ('Now, 20 eateries at Carter Road to go', July 23).
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But it seems that the BMC action isn't enough to appease the residents.

A resident griped, "It takes so long for our judiciary to act on these cases. Why can't these cases be fast-tracked so that action can be taken almost immediately? These eateries have made enough business by running illegally and troubling us. A few months after the demolitions occur, the eateries are back to flouting rules."