Army has asked the municipal authority in Kolkata to demolish an under-construction five-star hotel outside its Eastern Command Headquarters, citing alleged violation of building laws as the reason.

“Since the sanction of the Central Government has not been complied with, Army authorities at Kolkata have asked the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to demolish the building under KMC Act,” army officials said here.

The Army had in February raised objection over construction of the building to the builder and the KMC.

The 14-storey building was being constructed in the Hastings locality and work on it started in 2009.

Military authorities had informed the KMC and the hotel owners in September last year that the construction was in violation of local laws, they added.

As per the KMC Act, the Municipal Corporation is not authorised to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) without seeking permission from the Central government for construction activity in the Hastings area, they said.

In addition, the permission for construction can't be granted unless the Kolkata Police Commissioner approves the plan of the building and the site plan as per the KMC laws, officials said.

Construction was not being done on defence land and Army authorities had no role to play in issuing any NOC to the hotel owners.

In wake of the Sukna land scam in 2008, the Defence Ministry has directed that military officers will not issue any NOC for construction on or near defence land.

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