Dist administration demolishes 8000 sq-ft construction at Katraj hill

The court vacated the stay on Wednesday and the structure was demolished on Thursday morning.

Soon after the accident on June 7,officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said they had written to the district collectorate complaining about illegal constructions in August 2011 after notices they sent went unheeded. The officials claimed they sent photographs and videos to the district administration which showed that the construction was undertaken so close to the highway that it might compromise safety on the highway.

The tehsildar of Bhor had,however,said that upon getting the NHAI request,they sent a notice to Saffron Developers owned by Rathore and his brother on February 7,2013 asking them to remove the structures. The brothers had then obtained a stay.

The district administration had also imposed a fine of Rs 69 lakh on the brothers. Additional district collector Ganesh Patil said,“The stay was revoked by the High Court on Wednesday. Today we carried out the demolition early in the morning under police protection. The 8,000 square feet two-storey structure has been razed.”

Patil said that after getting the court order,action would also be initiated against the brothers for evading the penalty. Ravindrasinh Pardeshi,additional SP (Rural),said,“As requested by the district administration,we have provided the requisite number of policemen for demolition operations.”