Demolition of Campa Cola Housing Society in Mumbai: Supreme Court dismisses residents' plea

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a fresh plea by the residents of the Campa Cola Compound against eviction and demolition of 102 apartments in the 35 illegally built floors of the Worli society in South Mumbai, dashing whatever little hope they had.

"We are of the view that the present petition is misconceived and hence, dismissed," the bench of Justices JS Khehar and C Nagappan said while hearing the plea.

The judges also rejected the proposal that the illegal flats in the complex should not be demolished till the court decides on the curative petition filed by the residents.

"It’s a big humanitarian problem. One-forty families have been asked to vacate the premises with no other place to go," senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who appeared for residents’ association, said.

The bench said: "Every case has a humanitarian issue. Otherwise there was no need for having courts." While all seem to be over for them, residents haven’t given up hope. Vidya Srinivas, one of the residents of the society, said they were vacating the flats following the court’s ruling but will stay in tents inside the compound.

"We still have hopes as our curative petition will come up for hearing in July once the court vacation gets over," she said. In its plea, the association said it had come across some new facts through the RTI Act and these facts merit a fresh hearing of the case by the Bombay HC.