Local

The Durgapur Municipal Corporation demolished an illegal construction at the residencial area of former Defense personnel colony in Durgapur on the orders of the High Court. The demolition was carried out thursday morning by a joint initiative of the Durgapur Municipal Corporation and Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority.

 

Incidentally, several structures, including garages, shops, storerooms, and community toilets, were illegally constructed in Amaravati Defense Colony. It is a housing complex for Defense ex-servicemen built on land owned by the Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority in Amaravati area of Durgapur. it was alleged that with the support of the previous committee of the cooperative those illegal construction are made. A section of the colony's residents raised their voice against this illegal construction in 2021. At that time, former Air Force personnel Binoy Majumdar, a resident of the colony, filed a case against those illegal construction. Later, a public interest litigation case was filed on the matter at Calcutta High Court. During the investigation of the case, it was revealed that the membership of the then housing cooperative committee secretary was not valid. In light of that, the Calcutta High Court ruled that the construction was illegal and ordered the demolition of all illegal structures built on government land.

 

Following the Calcutta High Court's order, the Durgapur Municipal Corporation and Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority's workers with officials reached the area on Thursday. The illegal construction was demolished using Bulldozer action. Large numbers of Police forces were deployed to avoid any untoward incident. 

 

The Air Force personnel Binoy Majumdar's advocate of Calcutta High Court  Saheb Banerjee said that "the previous committee had built illegally many garages, shops, storerooms, and community toilets inside the colony. The previous committee recently lost the election. Everyone in the area is happy that the Durgapur Municipal Corporation and Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority has finally taken the initiative to demolish the illegal construction on the orders of the Calcutta High Court's order." He also added, "the demolition campaign which was started is a part for now. The illegal construction demolition campaign will continue in other areas of Amaravati Defense Colony in next stages."

 

However, Biswajit Biswas, former Secretary of DECHSL, Amravati Defence Colony posted a message in social media regarding the issue. According to hin

1. Currently, almost all the constructions in the colony, such as the school, community hall, society office, and about 75 shops, are unauthorized. 

2. After I have being elected as Secretary in 2019, I requested the Durgapur Municipal Corporation in writing to grant ex-post facto approval for those constructions.

3. Durgapur Municipal Corporation gives me a letter and says that 8 documents including plan need to be submitted.

4. I submit all the required documents except Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority NOC.

5. The plans and required fees for the garage and ration godown that were demolished on friday(10/10/2025) were submitted to Durgapur Municipal Corporation. We also subbmited them a copy of our approvel in Board General Meeting. But Durgapur Municipal Corporation did not approve it. As a result it did not get the approval of Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority for NOC.

6. This entire land belongs to the society, not of Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority.

7. All our land is allocated for residential purposes.

8. Asansol Durgapur Developement Authority cannot issue NOC without sub-lease amendment — that is the main obstacle.

9. About three years ago, the ADDA board decided to divide 18 acres as residential and 10 acres as commercial, but the board itself did not complete it and sent it to the bengal ministry, the ministry said you did it. The results of which are still pending.

10. My personal statement — the person who broke the law by selling government land has served time in jail (Binay Majumder), but he is illegally occupying a house in Amravati, and he is now filing thoes cases.

11. My submission is that laws and rules should apply equally to everyone.

Justice will be maintained if DMC and ADDA consider these aspects equally.

12. Minister – who did not take necessary administrative action even after knowing the matter.

13. ARCS (Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies) who was negligent in the investigation despite the allegations.

14. ADDA (Asansol Durgapur Development Authority) who have adopted a vague and two-pronged policy in lease revision and granting NOC.

15. DMC (Durgapur Municipal Corporation) who are collecting taxes and fees on one hand, and withholding approvals on the other.

16. Police administration,who seem to be working in favor of certain groups rather than taking a neutral role.

 

Biswajit Biswas, former Secretary of DECHSL, Amravati Defence Colony also added "I will present all this information and evidence, along with documents, to journalists, so that the common people can know, what is the true history of Amravati Colony, who is responsible, and who has harmed the common residents through this injustice. Now is the time for transparency and justice, because Amaravati is not just a colony, it is a symbol of our self-respect and rights."