Illegal houses structures demolished in Khandwa:City Magistrate warns builder; says, ‘I’ll get a JCB deployed’

The district administration on Friday took action against an under-construction house being built without permission in Khandwa’s Khanshahwali area. The action was carried out by the municipal corporation’s anti-encroachment team in the presence of City Magistrate Bajrang Bahadur. The construction was being undertaken by Firoz Khan without the required approvals. During the inspection, the City Magistrate reprimanded the builder and made it clear that no house can be constructed without proper permission from the authorities. He stated that the builder did not have any valid construction approval documents. Builder cites lack of diversion approval In response, Firoz Khan told the officials that he had approached the municipal corporation for permission, but approval was not granted as the land diversion process had not been completed. The City Magistrate advised him to visit the SDM office to complete the diversion formalities, after which construction permission could be considered. However, since construction had already begun without authorisation, the magistrate ordered immediate demolition of the illegal structure. When the builder protested and questioned how the walls would be demolished, the magistrate warned him strictly and instructed the team to proceed with the demolition. Walls demolished after document check At the site, Firoz Khan produced land ownership documents, but failed to show any permission to construct the house. The under-construction building, measuring approximately 15×30 square feet, had already been built up to roof level. After verifying the documents, the City Magistrate ordered the demolition of the structure. The municipal corporation team then demolished the walls of the house one by one. During the action, the magistrate cautioned the builder against any resistance and stressed that illegal construction would not be tolerated. ‘Not a single brick without permission’ After the demolition, the City Magistrate issued a stern warning to the builder, stating that not even a single brick should be laid at the site without proper approval. He clarified that the administration was not interfering with old, authorised constructions, but any new construction without permission would face strict action. Increased vigilance after recent building collapse The administration has intensified monitoring of illegal constructions following the recent collapse of a three-story building in Bhairav Talab ward. The incident occurred due to deep excavation for an unauthorised construction adjacent to the building. Although there was no loss of life, the incident raised serious safety concerns. Over 60 illegal constructions identified According to the municipal corporation, notices have been issued to more than 60 builders across the city for permanent constructions carried out without permission or in violation of approved plans. This includes a shopping mall at Badabam Chowk that was built contrary to the sanctioned layout. Despite repeated notices, several builders have failed to comply, prompting the administration to continue strict enforcement actions.