In a spirited drive launched this morning, a contingent of about 50 workmen from Panchgani and those mustered from neighbouring Mahabalehwar and Wai, under the cover of a strong contingent of police and SRP from Satara, Wai and Mahabaleshwar demolished a new fashionable restaurant `Basilica' in the Hotel Cliff Inn compound and removed a covered structure erected on the terrace of Hotel Sai Palace.

Just as the demolitions gained momentum at the two extreme ends of Panchgani - Basilica at the Pune end near MRA's Asia Plateau campus and another at the Mahabaleshwar near Parsi Point, residents gathered at the government rest in downtown and the blocked the road cutting off Mahabaleshwar for tourists coming from Pune end.

They were protesting that demolitions were being carried out when the tourist season had begun, thus adversely affecting the tourist inflow. They also protested that the drive disturbed a large population of students at Panchgani's several residential schools busy with their examinations.

The police handled the situation diplomatically and at last persuaded the squatters to lift the three-hour road-blockade in the afternoon. At least 50 vehicles were stranded on either side due to the blockade.

The Panchgani Municipal Council on March 30 and 31 served notices on owners of 33 properties in the town for illegal structures. As a sequel to the public interest writ petition filed by Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG), the municipal council identified 335 illegal structures in Panchgani and classified them as per the gravity of building bylaw violations. Those served with the recent notices fell in the most serious category.

While the entire Basilica restaurant was stated to have exceeded the permissible floor area ratio in the Hotel Cliff Inn plot, Hotel Sai Palace, apart from having a three-storey structure, as against two storeys permitted under the byelaws, also had a canopy on the terrace, which was demolished today.

Meanwhile, owners of four properties Osho Apartments, Sameena Guest House, Hotel Sai Palace and Hotel Parijat have approached the high court in three writ petitions and a civil application. The matter yesterday was referred by the earlier division bench comprising Justice Ashok Aggarwal and justice Deshmukh to that comprising Chief Justice Sabarwal and Justice Radhakrishnan. The petitioners have contended that they had not violated the byelaws and were using the bottom storey or basement only for uses permitted for basement.

Honorary Secretary of Bombay Environmental Action Group Shyam Chainani yesterday faxed an appeal to the Panchgani municipal chief officer asking him to proceed with the demolitions since the high court had not granted a stay on the demolition notices.

The BEAG on the same day brought the matter to the notice of the monitoring committee for Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani Region appointed by the high court which comprises the Sub Divisional Officer at Wai, the Deputy Conservator of Forests at Satara and citizen-activists Farookh Wadia, Sujit Patwardhan and Col (retd) S A Mohite.

A high power committee appointed by the high court under the then divisional commissioner Arun Bhatia in its report on illegal constructions in Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani region submitted to the court on November 17, 1997, had the following to say about Sai Paace and Parijat:
``Hotel Sai Palace: Basement plus ground floor, plus first floor, plus second floor constructed. Additional basement is constructed and is used for residence. additional second floor is used for lodging. Additional GI sheet roofing used for storey. Additional reception office, fastfood counter in front margin are constructed. Height of the building more than nine meters.

``Hotel Parijat: Basement plus stilt plus two storeys are constructed. Basement is used for hall, kitchen, dining. Mezzanine in basement used for residence and as toilet block. Stilt is used for reception, office, rooms for lodging. Basement is above ground level from one side. Height more than nine meters''.