Mumbai: The Bombay High Court yesterday directed the Maharashtra Government to establish special courts within 12 weeks to try offences in connection with unauthorised constructions in the state.
A division bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, which was hearing a public interest litigation, also ordered the government to set up within three months special police stations to handle encroachment-related cases.
Harit Vasai Sanrakshan Samiti, a local NGO, filed the petition in 2007 alleging that there were over five lakh unauthorised structures in Vasai-Virar belt of Thane district.
Earlier, the court had directed that all the illegal structures in Thane district should be demolished by December 31, 2010, but the order was not implemented.
