Kolkata: Eleven months after the Calcutta High Court ordered its removal, the Garia clock tower — constructed on a club playground — was brought down by a massive crane on Thursday. The tower stood on what is locally known as the Mitali Sangha Khelar Math.
Background of the Dispute
The Mitali Sangha club, which maintains the ground, moved the High Court in 2024, alleging that the clock tower was illegal and should be demolished. The court directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to investigate and submit a report. The KMC informed the court that the tower was indeed built illegally, though it noted that there appeared to be infighting within the club regarding the structure.
Court Order and Demolition Attempts
In June 2025, the High Court ordered the KMC to demolish the tower. The corporation first attempted to bring it down on August 25 last year but was unsuccessful. On Thursday, the demolition was finally carried out successfully.
Reactions from Locals and Club Officials
Local resident Madhurita Chanda expressed relief, stating: "This tower did not contribute anything positive to the development of the area; instead, it occupied a large portion of the club ground. We are happy that it has finally been demolished."
Ashish Naskar, vice president of Mitali Sangha club, said: "The local councillor installed the clock tower in 2023 on the club ground without our permission. Since then, the club has faced several obstacles in organising sports tournaments. The club approached the court in 2024 and obtained an order to dismantle the tower, but it could not be implemented at that time. Following the change in regime, the tower was finally dismantled."
