Dombivli: Residents of Ayre in Dombivli have strongly opposed the demolition of the illegal Ragho Heights building, taking a firm stance with demands for rehabilitation prior to any action. On Wednesday afternoon, when the Thane municipality's G ward demolition team arrived to dismantle the structure, they were met with fierce resistance from residents, particularly women, despite the presence of 20 police officers from the Ramnagar station for security.
Assistant Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Kumawat attempted to proceed with the demolition but was confronted by the residents, who insisted, "First, rehabilitate us, then do what you want." The protest was organized partly by social activist Manisha Rane, who emphasized the plight of the low-income residents living in Ragho Heights and vowed to prevent their dislocation under any circumstances. Rane challenged the municipal officials and complainants regarding their previous inaction toward the building's operation according to report by Lokmat.
The impetus for the demolition stems from complaints lodged by Ujjwala Patil, who has been advocating for two years for action against the unauthorized building. In 2021, the then Assistant Commissioner Sandeep Rokade (now suspended) declared Ragho Heights illegal. Legal action has since been initiated against Bhim Ragho Patil, Surekha Nana Patil, and Nitin Balanand Naik of Morya Infra for allegedly producing counterfeit documents permitting the construction of this building, which is ultimately linked to Tukaram Ragho Patil. The conflict highlights the complex issues surrounding unauthorized constructions and the need for appropriate rehabilitation for affected residents before enforcement actions are taken.
The illegal structure known as Ragho Heights comprises 30 flats and nine commercial spaces, with some flats allegedly registered using falsified documents. Complainant Ujjwala Patil noted that certain individuals have been temporarily permitted to reside in the building to create an appearance of legitimacy. The municipality's C ward had initiated action against this illegal building twice previously, but both attempts were thwarted.
In light of ongoing issues, Patil sought police assistance for a planned demolition on Wednesday by directly contacting the Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. However, a protest ensued at the entrance of Ragho Heights, with residents opposing the demolition, ultimately causing the municipality's demolition team to leave without taking action. This has raised concerns regarding the lack of legal repercussions for the protesters, as no case of obstruction of government work has been filed against them.
Originally, the illegal building occupied an area of 210 square meters, but through the use of fake documentation, it has been expanded to 400 square meters. Additionally, portions of land belonging to the Gram Panchayat have allegedly been encroached upon for the construction of this building. A senior municipal official has given assurances to Patil that action against the illegal structure will be taken in the following week.
