Jharkhand High Court directs demolition of illegal buildings in Jamshedpur

Mail news service

Jamshedpur, April 23: The Jharkhand High Court, presided over by Justice Rangan Mukhopadhyay and Justice Deepak Roshan, was hearing PIL 2078/2018 filed by Rakesh Jha regarding illegal constructions in Jamshedpur. Senior advocate RN Sahay, who represented the court-appointed lawyers, submitted the Commission’s second report on the issue.

During the hearing, the lawyer of Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) informed the court about sealing of 46 buildings. However, the court emphasized the need for demolition instead of sealing and directed the petitioner to address the issue of illegal constructions.

Lawyer for the petitioner, Akhilesh Srivastava, expressed concern over misleading information presented by JNAC lawyers. Akhilesh has filed an affidavit with a list of 46 buildings sealed in 2011 and resealed in 2024, stressing that there is no demolition of illegal structures.

The court, in reviewing the Commission’s report, expressed surprise at reports of illegal structures, including a kitchen in the basement of the Center Point Hotel, which was used for parking and commercial purposes.

Considering the gravity of the situation, the court adjourned the matter for further hearing and investigation on April 30, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the Commission’s report.

Advocates Akhilesh Srivastava, Rohit Sinha and MI Hasan represented the petitioner during the hearing.