HC seeks Hidco, NKDA reports on New Town illegal construction
Times of India | 24 April 2024
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed Hidco and NKDA to file separate reports on an alleged unauthorized construction on a Hidco land that is being used for political purposes.
Justice Amrita Sinha directed New Town Police to identify the alleged unauthorized structures whose photographs had been annexed to the writ petition.
The state counsel submitted to the court that letters based on the petition had already been sent to Hidco and NKDA but the response from both the authorities were awaited.
The NKDA counsel pleaded that the petition was frivolous on the ground that street 303 in DE Block and street 143 in BA Block of New Town as mentioned in the petition didn’t exist. The counsel also pleaded that the structure referred to was a “temporary tin shed.”
Justice Sinha was taken aback with the arguments of NKDA. “You are the sanctioning authority. Will you allow such tin sheds to come up in the NKDA area?” Justice Sinha said. There was no representation from Hidco.
Counsel for the petitioner submitted that he had annexed photographs of the structures to the petition and was ready to volunteer the identification process.
The court directed both NKDA and Hidco to file reports on the matter by May 7.