BMC pulls down part of Ajay Devgn and Kajol's Juhu bungalow over unauthorised work

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has pulled down parts of Ajay Devgn and Kajol's bungalow in Juhu, Mumbai, over construction it says was carried out without civic approval.

According to the civic body, the work included internal alterations, new partition walls, changes to windows and other structural jobs. The BMC said it went ahead with the demolition because the work allegedly continued even after it was told to stop.

That order came on September 10, under Section 354A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. It told those responsible to halt all work at once and produce valid documents and permissions. The work was for a proposed salon and spa at the 7,802 square foot property in the Kapole Co-operative Housing Society.

A complaint from the society set things in motion. It objected to the bungalow being leased out for commercial use, and residents raised worries about more customers, parking, security and noise on the society's narrow internal roads. Local corporator Sudha Singh said the BMC's Building and Factory Department found no permission on record for the commercial use. The Devgn family had asked for four weeks to respond.

Away from the dispute, Ajay is having a strong run at the box office. Drishyam 3, the third and final film in his crime thriller franchise, gave him the biggest opening of his career. Directed by Abhishek Pathak, it released on October 2 and has crossed Rs 400 crore worldwide on largely positive reviews.