``We spend so much money, time and manpower razing unauthorised huts and other structures, but they come up again at the same spot,'' said BMC's officer in-charge of demolitions in the city, S S Shinde. He said this disturbing phenomenon has been reported to higher authorities to help find a way to make demolitions more effective.

``Two months ago, we had carried out one of our biggest demolition operations at Ganpat Patil Nagar in R-North (near Dahisar Check Naka) where we demolished 3,000 huts. But within days, most of the structures came up again. This shouldn't have been allowed,'' said Shinde.

Another example is the demolition of 149 huts at the Collector's plot in Malad (west) on January 7. Some of the structures have cropped up again on the plot. This has also happened in Ambedkar Nagar atAntop Hill, where 80 commercial structures were recently razed.

However, Shinde is quick to point out that over 3,000 structures have been demolished in the new year so far, with multiple demolition operations taking place daily, even on weekends. ``Now we have only to deal with the rebuilding of demolished structures. One suggestion is to properly fence an area after demolitions in order to stop encroachers,'' he suggested.

Meanwhile, in a press conference on Tuesday, Congress Leader Kisan Jadhav revealed that despite complaints made by Congress corporator Suryakant Chavan about 37 illegal stalls at Ramkrishna Paramahansa Marg in Bandra (east), the BMC administration refused to demolish them, saying they were ``under pressure.'' Jadhav alleged these unauthorised structures are patronised by the Sena corporator in the area. Jadhav added the BMC should pull up councillors if they interfere with demolition work.

However, officials said they will leave no stone unturned in curbing illegal structures. ThisMonday, major demolitions were carried out at various places: 111 shanties and 11 garages were demolished in Malad, 50 unauthorised structures were razed in Gorai, 15 shanties were demolished in Kalina and 8 structures were razed in Andheri and Kherwadi. At Kurla Railway Terminus too, 115 unauthorised structures were demolished by BMC recently.