Team herald 

MAPUSA: A house and four shops located alongside the National Highway at Colvale were demolished on Thursday for widening the road. 

According to the PWD, the house owned by one Ramesh Salkar and four other commercial structures were demolished for having encroached on the highway.

However, Salkar alleged that his house was demolished without prior intimation.

“For more than 50 years we are staying here. Initially, we had received a notice that illegal structures will be demolished. We took the notice and approached the PWD. We informed the PWD that all the structures are legal to which PWD had assured that only the illegal structures will be demolished and compensation will be paid,” he said.

Salkar said that he was assured that his house would not be demolished before paying him compensation. “There was an order for demarcating the boundary for demolition. However, without following the order, the structure was demolished. All our structures are legal and we have all the permissions from the panchayat,” he said.

Prashant Joshi, a local running a juice centre at Colvale, said that he has an agreement with Salkar for running a juice centre. “There were electronic items such as fan and refrigerators inside the shop. However, without prior intimation, the shop was demolished causing a loss of Rs 2.50 lakh,” Joshi said.