COIMBATORE: Coimbatore corporation officials on Thursday began demolishing a three-storey commercial building constructed on a parcel of civic body land at Balaji Nagar near Avarampalayam. The disputed parcel of land, measuring seven cents and worth Rs 3 crore, falls under ward 48 in the central zone. According to officials, a layout was approved by the Town and Country Planning Department in 1971 when Coimbatore was a municipality. A portion of land in the layout had been earmarked as a reserve site. However, over the period, the parcel of land was allegedly encroached upon by a man named Damodaran. According to sources, a building measuring nearly 11,000 square feet was constructed on the parcel of land. The building was rented out to more than 20 commercial establishments. After coming to know about the encroachment, the corporation filed a case in the Madras high court in 2016. In December last year, the high court directed the civic body to inspect and take possession of the parcel of land. Subsequently, Damodaran’s family moved the Supreme Court. However, the apex court upheld the Madras high court’s order and dismissed the case. Following this, the corporation issued notices in February to the commercial establishments functioning in the building. On Thursday, officials led by the city planning officer began the process of demolishing the building. A corporation official said the property had remained under encroachment for more than 20 years. They added that frequent transfer of officials and pending court proceedings had delayed the recovery process. “As per the Supreme Court order, we have started reclaiming the parcel of land. Since it is a three-storey building, it may take around 10 days to demolish it completely,” the official added. Police barricades have been placed in the area, and around 10 police personnel have been deployed for security.
