Authorities stopped demolition work and police removed guard rails from the Tiljala demolition zone on Saturday after a court order and local protests, four days after a bulldozer and Kolkata Municipal Corporation workers moved into GJ Khan Road with sledgehammers to pull down two buildings branded 'illegal'.
Relief was palpable among residents in the bylanes of Tiljala after demolition was halted, though they remained angry over the haste with which action was taken without giving them an opportunity to argue their case. They also remained wary about the future of other buildings in Tangra constructed without plan sanction.
On Saturday morning, people regained use of the road after protests led to police removing the guard rails that had restricted access in the locality. Since last Wednesday, the road was completely shut with guard rails, and people were barred from a 300-metre stretch around the building where a fire claimed the lives of two workers in a leather goods manufacturing unit. The workers appointed by the KMC for demolition left the two buildings, but their entry gates remained sealed.
Despite the demolition drive being stalled, residents of other buildings said they feared for their fate if the drive resumed in the same pattern. 'We are all tenants and the owner lives elsewhere. We have no idea whether our building is legal or illegal. But if we are thrown out hurriedly like our neighbours, where shall we go?' said Farzana Begum, a local. Another local, Kesar Reza, said, 'We have been traumatised because of the demolition drive. Most of the mixed-use buildings have export business here while a few others may have manufacturing units. During the shifting, many leather export products, which were ready for shipping, were damaged.'
Samma Parvin, an evicted tenant in one of the partially demolished buildings, alleged they were not given enough time to shift their belongings. 'On Tuesday night, we were verbally asked to leave the house and the demolition started the next day when power connection and water supply line were snapped. We could not collect all the goods like utensils in haste. Today I went to bring them but could not enter the building that has been locked. My family is depending on the food being provided by neighbours,' cried the woman, who did not find another rented accommodation and was living with a relative in the area.
Another evicted tenant, Md Irfan, said, 'We pay Rs 500 rent per month to the owner who told us that he has all valid documents about the building. But we did not get any chance to produce any document before the demolition. The pause came when the building was partially demolished and we cannot go back to live in the house that has become unsafe now. Studies of our kids are getting hit as their books were left in the house. As the road was closed for movement till Friday, they could not even attend their private coaching classes.'
Requesting anonymity in a sub-judice matter, the owner of a building claimed he moved court with mutation and tax payment papers. 'Why is my building called illegal? Mutation was done on the property and we have paid tax to the civic body. We are seeking justice from the court,' he said.
Most shops along the road opened shutters on Saturday. Raj Kumar Shaw, who ran a grocery shop near the zone, said, 'We remained confined indoors for the last four days that we spent just like the pandemic times.'
