Calcutta HC Stays Tiljala “Bulldozer” Demolition, Says Due Process Must Be Followed; No Rehabilitation Order Yet

The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered an interim stay on the demolition of alleged illegal structures in Kolkata’s Topsia-Tiljala area, observing that authorities cannot raze constructions without adhering to due legal process. The order came amid growing concerns from residents who alleged they were forced to vacate their homes without prior notice before demolition teams arrived following a deadly fire at an unauthorised factory earlier this week.

Hearing the matter, Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury directed all parties to maintain status quo at the site until further orders and stressed that no demolition could proceed without following legal procedure. The court, however, stopped short of granting immediate relief in terms of rehabilitation for displaced residents.

At the same time, the bench made it clear that no commercial activity would be permitted from the premises where two workers died in Tuesday’s fire. The court also said nobody would be allowed to reside in the affected building for now. Justice Chowdhury further observed that portions already demolished could not be repaired at this stage.

During the hearing, the court reportedly referred to earlier judicial directions concerning illegal constructions in Kolkata and remarked that there had been “inaction” under the previous Trinamool Congress administration in addressing such violations. The matter will now be heard again on May 22.

The controversy erupted after a fire at an allegedly illegal manufacturing unit under Tiljala Police Station claimed the lives of two labourers and left three others injured on Tuesday.

Following the incident, the state government said the multi-storey building had been constructed without an approved building plan and that an unauthorised factory had been operating from the premises. Within hours of the incident, the Suvendu Adhikari-led government launched a demolition drive targeting the five-storey structure where the factory operated, along with an adjoining three-storey residential building.

The demolition operation began shortly after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that power utility CESC had been directed to conduct an audit of illegal buildings housing factories and disconnect electricity supply to such establishments. The two buildings housed approximately eight to nine families, many of whom said they were left homeless overnight. Residents later moved the High Court seeking urgent intervention, claiming they had been evicted without warning. Residents claimed they had little time to remove belongings after police allegedly asked them to vacate the premises on Wednesday night. The owners of the buildings, meanwhile, maintained that they possessed the necessary documents for the property, barring a no-objection certificate from the fire services department.