Mumbai: The BMC is giving “lame excuses” and delaying the demolition of the compound wall of actor Amitabh Bachchan’s Pratiksha bungalow in Juhu for a road-widening project, Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice V M Kanade said on Monday.

Last month, the BMC had submitted that it hasn’t taken over a portion of land from Pratiksha bungalow plot as it does not have a contractor in place for the road-widening project. It has said that it would raze the compound wall and acquire the land in the next financial year when a road contractor is appointed for the purpose.

In his order, Justice Kanade said: “In my view, the reason given by the BMC for not carrying out the demolition doesn’t appear to be correct. Whenever a road-widening project is undertaken, adequate budgetary provision is made by the BMC for implementation. It is obvious that the BMC is delaying the demolition of the boundary wall...by giving lame excuses. It is a matter of common knowledge that after May 30, no demolition work is carried out during monsoon. The work, therefore, would be delayed by at least one more year.”

In 2017, the actor’s family had been asked to surrender a portion of the land from Pratiksha bungalow, off Linking Road in Juhu, along with owners of neighbou-ring plots, to reduce traffic in the lane leading from Pratiksha towards ISKCON temple. The BMC will take the compound portion of the structures and widen Sant Dnyaneshwar Road from 40ft to 60ft.

Congress corporator Tulip Miranda, who had complained to Maharashtra Lokayukta in October 2021 about the civic inaction, said that BMC’s reply was bizarre. “In 2019, the BMC had demolished the boundary wall of a building premises adjoining Bachchan’s bungalow and took over a portion of its land for the road-widening. However, the compound of Pratiksha was left untouched. Waiting for a contractor before land acquisition for road-widening is unheard of,” Miranda said.

“The Lokayukta has not accepted the BMC’s bizarre report and has asked for a response from the roads department at the next hearing. We will sit on a dharna if the BMC fails to take action,” the corporator added.