Mayor Firhad Hakim on Saturday reminded civic officials that if the owner of an illegal structure obtained a stay against demolition, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) should challenge it in the courts.

KMC sources said a stay order against demolition often ensures the illegal building stays. The owner or the builder uses it to build more portions and then hands over possession to residents. Once people start staying in the building, it becomes more difficult for the KMC to pull it down.

Hakim said it was an insult to the KMC if one managed to get stay order against a demolition order issued by the KMC.

Hakim made the comments after a woman from Chak Garia, in eastern Garia, told the mayor that the owners of a building against which the KMC had issued a demolition order obtained a stay order from a court. As a result, the KMC could not go ahead with the demolition.

The woman alleged that the KMC had not told her about the stay order for many months.

KMC officials said a special officer, who has powers to order the demolition of illegal buildings or retain them against a penalty, had ordered the demolition of the Chak Garia building.

“If we don’t approach the courts, the complainant will. The court might give an order in favour of demolition and while doing so will criticise the KMC. Why should we allow such a situation to arise? Why wouldn’t we challenge the stay on our own?” Hakim said at the weekly phone-in programme Talk to Mayor.

Officials and heads of departments were present in the room.

Hakim had suggested a similar approach earlier, too, when a woman from Karaya told him about owners of a building adding illegal parts after obtaining a stay order against KMC’s demolition order.

Officials said the KMC has started razing illegal portions of the Karaya building.