The studio owners were to demolish the structures upon the expiry of the permission in October 2022, according to the BMC’s documents.

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The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) issued notice to the illegal studios on September 12, 2022, following which the owners approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT). However, the NGT on March 6 dismissed their plea and ordered the BMC to take action on the studios.

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There are 22 studios at Madh, of which two have the permission of the Building Proposal department of the BMC. While two studios were demolished by the BMC previously, two others were demolished by their owners.

The BMC reportedly received 49 complaints about illegal studios between 2021 and 2022.

BMC administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal then ordered an enquiry into civic officials’ alleged role and the probe panel found 13 of them guilty. Six civic officials were from the Building Factory department and seven from the Assessment and Collection department. Chahal has the order to decide the quantum of punishment.