Bank,Post,Govt offices to be unsealed,no relief to others

The Gujarat High Court Thursday refused to interfere in a sealing and demolition drive by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation(AMC) against illegal constructions but offered relief for some types of offices that faced action. AMC has sealed three major commercial complexes in last one week on Ahmedabad’s C.G. road. The authority has also sealed major complexes in Maninagar, S.G.Highway, Madhupura, Thakkarbapanagar and other areas also in ongoing drive.

The high court bench of Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi today allowed the opening of law firms, lawyers’ offices, banks, post offices and government institutions sealed by the civic agency during action against unauthorised constructions in the C.G. Road area of Ahmedabad.

The chief justice said that violation of parking norms in the area was completely unacceptable and intolerable.

The court also sought to know from the shopowners as to why they should be allowed running their businesses in a residential zone where commercial activities were not allowed. The court said they can approach the government but it will not direct the state to regularise or convert the land use of the residential zone.

‘Shops and offices have been running illegally for more than a decade and cannot be allowed by this court to continue. You may approach the government. If they change the act and do it, then it’s a different thing but as of now no act is superseding the high court’s order’ the bench said.

The matter is now slated to come up Nov 23.