Nagpur Municipal Corporation demolished 15 houses in the Symbiosis College area of Dighori on Thursday to clear land allotted to the Sports Authority of India, prompting protests from residents who alleged that they had not received adequate notice before the action.
The demolition took place at Khasra No. 60 in Mouza Dighori. NMC’s encroachment removal department, working with the Nehru Nagar zone office, deployed three JCB machines and heavy police protection for the drive, according to the report by Times of India – Nagpur.
The civic action was directed against 16 pucca houses on the site. NMC officials said notices had reportedly been issued by the Nehru Nagar zone office before the demolition. However, residents disputed this, alleging that they had neither received the notices nor been given prior information to vacate their homes.
As the demolition squad arrived, residents protested at the site. Nehru Nagar zone assistant municipal commissioner Anuj Kopulwar and other civic officials showed residents the notices issued by NMC, but the residents remained dissatisfied and continued their protest.
Action against one of the 16 houses was halted after the owner’s husband, identified in the report as Gulshan Khatun, suddenly fell ill. He was taken to a private hospital by ambulance for treatment. NMC subsequently proceeded with the demolition of the remaining 15 houses.
The land at Khasra No. 60 has been allotted to the Sports Authority of India, and the civic administration had begun the process of removing encroachments from the site. The report did not specify the date of the allotment, the proposed SAI facility, or whether the demolished households had been offered relocation or rehabilitation support.
The action highlights the administrative process involved when civic authorities seek to recover land reserved for a public institution. NMC’s encroachment department and the Nehru Nagar zone office coordinated the operation, while police personnel were deployed to maintain security during the demolition.
For the affected residents, the immediate dispute centres on notice and prior information. While civic officials pointed to notices shown at the site, residents maintained that they were not properly informed before the action. The available report does not establish whether the notices were personally served, how much time they provided, or whether any appeals or legal proceedings were pending.
NMC’s next steps concerning the cleared land and the proposed use by the Sports Authority of India were not detailed in the report. The civic administration’s process to clear the remaining encroachments at the site is expected to determine how the land is handed over or prepared for its allotted purpose.
