Illness drama fails to stop BMC demolition squad

MUMBAI, Feb 21: A BMC squad that recently set out to demolish an unauthorised beauty parlour at Vile Parle found an unlikely figure insid...

MUMBAI, Feb 21: A BMC squad that recently set out to demolish an unauthorised beauty parlour at Vile Parle found an unlikely figure inside: a frail-looking 70-year-old lady lying on a bed, surrounded by other occupants of the building. Complete in preparation, with a saline drip to boot, the ailing’ woman made all the right noises as the crowd around her appealed to the “collective consciousness” of the demolition squad to leave her and the parlour in peace.

“Our BMC staffers, of course, were made of sterner stuff,” said BMC deputy public relations officer S D Jadhav. “They immediately called for an ambulance and doctors from the Cooper Hospital to take the lady away. But as soon as a doctor reached the parlour to examine her, the woman coolly got out of the bed, removed the saline drip and made her exit from the scene!”

he said. The squad then proceeded to demolish three unauthorised rooms, including the Queen’s Beauty Parlour, in the two-storeyed building opposite Vile Parle Municipal Market on SV Road.

A senior official of the demolition squad said this was the funniest excuse trotted up by encroachers to prevent demolitions. “We have seen crocodile tears, heard loud wails and even encountered slumdwellers being possessed with spirits of gods at the time of demolitions. But the beauty parlour incident shows the extent to which people can go to protect such structures,” the official said.

The BMC, however, has not lodged any police complaint against the woman or the other residents for interfering with its work. “We take such incidents in our stride and carry on with demolitions. We also didn’t bother to note the old lady’s name in this case. However, such hurdles are very irritating,” the officer said.

The K-west ward officer Chotelal Dube said the three rooms on the building’s second floor had to be demolished as permission was given for the ground and first floor only. “The old woman was most probably related to the D’Souza family running the parlour. Looking at her, I was only worriedshe might collapse while we were around! Thankfully, nothing of that sort happened and the demolition took place smoothly,” Dube said. Over 16,000 illegal structures (mostly in slums) have been demolished by the BMC this year. And it has had to face far more difficult situations elsewhere. Over a month ago, affected slumdwellers from Chembur alleged that the demolition squad was responsible for killing an infant during their operation. Later on, though, officials clarified the child had died because of a serious illness.