BMC bulldozes illegally built film studios in Mumbai

Amid demolition, BJP's Kirit Somaiya alleges that BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal knew of this illegal scam but did not take action against the corrupt.

Mumbai:The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Friday razed down an alleged "illegally built" film studios in Mumbai's Madh area after the National Green Tribunal vacated the stay on demolition of five studios in the Madh Island. The NGT also disallowed the plea filed by the studio operators.

Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal who had ordered an inquiry against film studios at Madh, Marve, Bhati and Erangal villages in Malad have after BJP's Kirit Somaiya alleged lack of clearances for the structures and alleged that the BMC Commissioner was not acting despite knowing the illegalities.

While 11 studios were present, six of them were demolished in the previous eviction drive and five were standing when the operators approached the Court. The rest of the studios which were spared in the first round were razed down by the officials from the civic body with police standing guard.

Somaiya said, the state government approached court which posed a question to BMC on how illegal constructions were allowed. The court also requested the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to order a probe into the illegally built studios, Somaiya said. Earlier, Somaiya had said that the studios were built in gross violation of the norms laid down by the NGT.

Somaiya further alleged that though the studio owners sought some time to get the studios removed at their own cost, their request was refused. The BJP leader alleged that around ₹1,000 crore-worth illegal film studios were constructed in 2021 with blessings of then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The NGT in its order stated that the BMC and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority had only given them permission to set up temporary structures at the area. However, the film studios had set up huge structures using steel and concrete material in the area.

The order concluded that the BMC circular under which the film studios were granted permission to build temporary structures had already been stayed by the additional municipal commissioner. There were reports that several illegal studios had been constructed at a "No-development Zone (NDZ)" and Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) at Madh-Marve.