The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has intensified its regulatory oversight by issuing a formal notice to M/s Leaps & Bounds Pvt. Ltd. under Section 400(1) of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980. The notice highlights alleged structural deviations and unauthorized construction at a prominent property located on Harish Mukherjee Road in Kolkata.
The civic enforcement action marks a significant development in the monitoring of local urban building compliance and has drawn attention from regional political figures.
The KMC Directive: Demolition or Justification
According to the official document issued by the KMC Building Department (Borough IX, Ward 073), the civic body discovered that portions of the building premises on Harish Mukherjee Road were constructed in violation of the originally sanctioned building plans.
The structural notice mandates specific actions from the owners within a strict timeframe:
- Seven-Day Deadline: The company must self-demolish the unauthorized parts of the building within seven days of receiving the notice.
- Show-Cause Opportunity: Alternatively, the management can submit a detailed technical explanation and show-cause response explaining why the structural modifications should not face municipal demolition.
- Recovery of Costs: The KMC has explicitly warned that failing to comply with the directive will result in the municipal body deploying enforcement teams to raze the unapproved structures. All monetary expenses incurred during the municipal demolition drive will be recovered directly from the owner or occupier.
- Technical Submission: The company is required to submit complete “as-built” architectural drawings detailing all internal structural features, including escalators and lifts, within the same one-week window.
Political Reactions and internal Investigations
As news of the civic notice circulated, senior political figures from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) offered measured, initial responses to the situation. Speaking from New Delhi, veteran TMC Member of Parliament (MP) Saugata Roy addressed the updates cautiously.
“I have seen this news. I am not in Kolkata; I am in Delhi,” Roy stated, noting that the update was concerning. He further emphasized that the party intends to understand the underlying facts before making a definitive stance. “Our workers from our party will investigate this. Why did this happen? Abhishek Banerjee’s Lok Sabha is in the area. Maybe he will give some response. We will have to see if there is an atmosphere of fear or not. Only after that will we give our response.”
The civic body maintains that the issuance of the notice is a standard administrative procedure carried out under the legal provisions of the KMC Act of 1980 to curb illegal urban sprawl and ensure adherence to safety blueprints.
Key Takeaways
- Legal Clause: The notice was served under Section 400(1) of the KMC Act, 1980, targeting unauthorized building deviations.
- Location Focus: The disputed structural deviations are situated on Harish Mukherjee Road (Ward 073, Borough IX).
- Strict Timeline: The civic body has granted a strict 7-day window for the owner to either demolish the unapproved segments or file a legal show-cause defense.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is Section 400(1) of the KMC Act, 1980? A: Section 400(1) empowers the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to issue orders for the demolition or alteration of buildings where construction has commenced or been completed without proper sanction or in violation of municipal building codes.
Q2: What happens if M/s Leaps & Bounds Pvt. Ltd. does not respond within seven days? A: If no response or an unsatisfactory explanation is provided within the seven-day period, the KMC has the legal authority to initiate a demolition drive to pull down the unauthorized structures and legally bill the property owners for the demolition costs.
Q3: Where is the building located? A: The building under administrative scrutiny is located on Harish Mukherjee Road, falling under Ward 073, Borough IX of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
