Campa Cola residents' final hope: Modi as PM may find a way to stop demolition

The residents of the illegals flats of Campa Cola Compound in Worli, who are likely to face demolition of their flats from June 1 onwards, are now seeking the intervention of the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Residents said they are praying that Modi assumes power at the Centre and finds a way to bring them some relief. [caption id=“attachment_151524” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A Campa Cola resident performs aarti in front of pictures of Narendra Modi.[/caption] The residents of the Campa Cola compound feel that the Congress party has failed in solving the issue in the last one year. “We are trapped between the municipal corporation and state government. Since the Congress has not been able to do anything in the past one year, we feel that BJP should come to power at the Centre with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. We hope that Modi will look at the ground realities of the issue and the injustice done to us,” Kushal Jain, a resident, told Firstpost adding that only Modi can helps them now. She slammed the municipal corporation for its demolition plans. “They are targeting us like terrorists threatening that they will bring the police force to vacate the flats,” she said. Interestingly, a group of residents on Tuesday performed an aarti of photos of the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi that were put up on the wall of one of the buildings in the compound. Seven high-rise buildings were constructed between 1981 and 1989 in the Campa Cola Compound. While the builders were granted permission for ground-plus-five floors, some of the constructions were built with extra floors. Of these seven buildings, 102 illegal flats are slated for demolition from June 1 after the Supreme Court rejected the residents’ appeal earlier this week about granting them an extension for vacating the premises. Now, the residents of the these illegal flats have to vacate by May 31. However, the residents are also planning to meet the chief minister the next week. “We have asked for an appointment with the chief minister and will request him to undertake demolition action after the monsoon and to find a solution to the issue,” said Nandini Mehta, a resident. Slamming the municipal corporation for denying any knowledge about the direction given by SC to find a solution, Mehta said, “It is very unfortunate that municipal officials continue to deny any knowledge of the SC directive.” She also shared documents and correspondence exchanged between the Advocate General representing the municipal corporation and the advocate for Campa Cola stating that it clearly shows that the municipal corporation was fully aware. Meanwhile, the municipal officials said that the action plan of demolition is yet to be prepared. “But, the civic engineers will cut the water and electricity supply to these flats and will demolish the internal walls post May 31,” said a senior official.