Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation authorities today reached the Campa Cola Society building in central Mumbai to begin the first leg of its demolition drive following the Supreme Court order. The court has ordered the demolition of illegal apartments in the society.

A team of officials of BMC and Mahanagar Gas arrived at the Society compound this morning even as residents formed human barricades and closed the gates to obstruct civic authorities from entering the compound.

In the first leg of the demolition drive, the BMC had targeted to cut off supply of household essentials such as water, piped gas and electricity supply. The BMC authorities have been seen convincing the residents to allow them to implement the Supreme Court order in order to avoid any confrontation.

Sources from the BMC had earlier informed that they would not resort to use of any force and instead film the entire incident to use it as evidence against people who obstruct the action.

Our correspondent reports that the situation remains tense as residents of Campa Cola society building locked gates to prevent civic authorities from disconnecting Water, Piped Gas and Power supply to illegal apartments in the compound today.

Residents formed a human chain inside the compound and shouted slogans against the demolition drive. Leaders from different political parties arrived at the site to take stalk of the situation. Police personnel started arriving since yesterday evening and barricaded the road leading to the society compound.

Additional forces from the central region and state reserve police force have also been deployed to maintain law and order. The residents had also performed a Havan today morning as a mark of protest and said that they would not allow the demolition of their homes. The last such confrontation took place in November last year when residents had parked their vehicles in the middle of the compound to prevent authorities from entering inside.