Gujarat HC go ahead for demolition of illegal floors at Salman Avenue

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday granted approval for the demolition of two illegal stories of Salman Avenue, located in the Danipeeth area of the city.

Justice Mauna Bhatt cleared the way for the demolition of the fifth and sixth floors of the building, which were constructed after the developer submitted a forged NOC to secure approval for the plan from the city’s civic body. The High Court rejected the plea to stay the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s demolition notice issued on October 16, 2018, and dismissed the argument that the petitioner had applied for regularisation of the building with the AMC.

The building was issued multiple notices and sealed five times, yet it continued to be used. This ongoing defiance led to the decision for demolition, which will proceed in the coming days.

The property, located near the Dastoor Khan Mosque, a protected monument, was initially granted permission for a cellar+ground+4 floor structure by the AMC in 2016, based on an NOC from the NMA. However, the developer, Moin Infrastructure LLP, later sought approval for two additional floors, which were authorised using a forged NOC. After the forgery came to light, the AMC issued a demolition notice in 2018.

The developer contested the demolition notice in court and sought approval from the NMA. On Wednesday, AMC’s counsel, Gursharan Virk, informed the court that the petitioners had concealed facts, noting that both a single judge and a division bench of the High Court had previously denied a stay on the demolition notice. DeshGujarat