Campa Cola residents agree to vacate buildings

MUMBAI: The 96 illegal flat owners of Worli's Campa Cola compound will submit an undertaking to the Supreme Court that they shall vacate their apartments by May 31, 2014. The houses are set for demolition due to their unlawful status.

Nandini Mehta, one of the core committee members, confirmed that they will abide by the SC order. The SC has granted them six weeks to pledge that they will vacate their apartments once the six-month extension lapses.

Another resident Vidya Srinivas said, "We have to do so since the court has ordered it."

The flat-owners had submitted a similar pledge in the past, agreeing to "vacate peacefully" once the earlier deadline expired November 11. Yet, they opted not to do so, instead barricading the gates and aligning cars in the compound to stall the entry of the BMC and police. Asked if that situation could manifest in May 2014 when the fresh notice ends, Srinivas said, "We hope the authorities come up with a better solution than they did the last time."