BMC demolition drive knocks off three cars in Kalina area

“On February 4 while the BMC demolitions were on near the university campus at Kalina, I had parked my car as usual across the road.There was no chance of my vehicle interfering with the demolition work; yet they (BMC) smashed my Fiat with a heavy-duty JCB, along with two other cars at around 4.30 pm,” Pujari recalls.

The owner of the other two cars, Satish Kakkrayil, who ran the now demolished `Satish Garage’, is also a angry man today. One of two cars of his which were damaged by the demolition squad was a Maruti van (BLL-715) which had just been over overhauled. “A good hand of paint and it would have resembled a new car,” said Kakkrayil and added, “what was the need to damage the cars. They could have been towed away…who has gained out of this madness.” He, though, has a word of sympathy for Pujari. “While I have suffered losses worth Rs 1 lakh due to the destruction of the two cars, I feel sorry for Pujari who had parked his Fiat next to my cars after having got it repaired recently.”

When contacted on Saturday, Deputy Municipal Commissioner in-charge of demolitions, Chandrashekhar Rokde, said the cars may have beencrushed accidentally. “Though I am not aware of this case, normally vehicles coming in the way of demolitions are towed away. But if a towing crane is not at hand then the vehicles are pushed out of the way,” Rokde said.

When asked if the BMC will compensate the car owner, he said: “Why should BMC compensate if the owner can claim car insurance money.”

Pujari, though, has still not yet got the insurance papers transferred in his name from the earlier owner.