MUMBAI: The BMC demolished 43 unauthorized multistorey buildings at the landmark Dhobi Ghat in Mahalaxmi on Thursday and Friday. The demolition drive was met with strong resistance from locals and the BMC needed to file a police grievance in opposition to them for obstructing work. Six persons had been arrested within the case.
Dhobi Ghat—the arena’s biggest outdoors laundry-—was built right through the British Raj in 1890 and has 500 licenced wash pens with flogging stones. The BMC mentioned that many washermen had illegally built three-storey buildings they usually had been recently issued notices.
Assistant commissioner (G-South ward) D K Jain mentioned, “We initiated the drive to demolish all illegal buildings within the house on Thursday and our drive will proceed. Locals attempted to prevent the drive by manhandling our staff. We are taking police help to avoid any untoward incidents.”
The BMC admitted that one of the demolished buildings had been outdated but mentioned that no development was allowed near the flogging stones meant for laundry clothes.
Local corporator Kishori Pednekar mentioned, “Initially, the BMC demolished one newly built construction and locals challenged it. After this, the BMC decided to behave in opposition to all illegal buildings within the house. On humanitarian grounds, we advised that those who are shedding their properties be given permissions to construct temporary buildings, and no longer concrete ones that are illegal.”
The annual turnover at Dhobi Ghat is estimated at round Rs 100 crore. Each day, over 7,000 folks flog, scrub, dye and bleach clothes on concrete wash pens, dry them on ropes, press them and transport them to different portions of the city. Over one lakh clothes are washed every day. Some of the wealthier dhobis have given up on manual cleaning and feature installed huge mechanical washing and drying machines.
Dhobi Ghat—the arena’s biggest outdoors laundry-—was built right through the British Raj in 1890 and has 500 licenced wash pens with flogging stones. The BMC mentioned that many washermen had illegally built three-storey buildings they usually had been recently issued notices.
Assistant commissioner (G-South ward) D K Jain mentioned, “We initiated the drive to demolish all illegal buildings within the house on Thursday and our drive will proceed. Locals attempted to prevent the drive by manhandling our staff. We are taking police help to avoid any untoward incidents.”
The BMC admitted that one of the demolished buildings had been outdated but mentioned that no development was allowed near the flogging stones meant for laundry clothes.
Local corporator Kishori Pednekar mentioned, “Initially, the BMC demolished one newly built construction and locals challenged it. After this, the BMC decided to behave in opposition to all illegal buildings within the house. On humanitarian grounds, we advised that those who are shedding their properties be given permissions to construct temporary buildings, and no longer concrete ones that are illegal.”
The annual turnover at Dhobi Ghat is estimated at round Rs 100 crore. Each day, over 7,000 folks flog, scrub, dye and bleach clothes on concrete wash pens, dry them on ropes, press them and transport them to different portions of the city. Over one lakh clothes are washed every day. Some of the wealthier dhobis have given up on manual cleaning and feature installed huge mechanical washing and drying machines.
43 illegal structures razed at Dhobi Ghat, 6 arrested
![43 illegal structures razed at Dhobi Ghat, 6 arrested]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 05, 2018
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