The giant excavator moved out of Tiljala on Friday.
A locality terrorised by its presence heaved a sigh of relief after Calcutta High Court ordered a stay on a demolition drive that had continued for two days without any consultation with the owners and occupants.
“The court was our only hope. The order came as a big relief. We cannot go back to live there for now. But the house has not been razed yet,” said a resident.
More than one resident said it was also a relief to see the “bulldozer” leave.
The giant machine stationed on the narrow lane had become the focus of attention for the entire neighbourhood.
A single-judge bench of Calcutta High Court on Friday issued an interim stay on the demolition of the five-storey building on GJ Khan Road in Tiljala. Status quo will remain in place till June 22, the next date of hearing.
Sources in the civic body said the demolition team was at the site on Friday as well, but could not do much. “Everyone was waiting for
the court order,” said one of them.
A lawyer representing the petitioners — three members of a family — said the local police station had been informed about the court order early in the afternoon and the written order was later shared with the police.
A woman from the family said they had been allowed to enter the building to collect belongings, but only in the presence of police personnel.
The court order made no mention of the second adjacent building, which was also being demolished.
A source in the civic body said demolition of the second building would most likely be halted too.
“We are awaiting instructions from the government. The two buildings belong to the same owner and are connected by an overhead passage,” an official of the civic body said.
On Friday, a notice issued by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had been pasted on the gate of the five-storey building.
“You are hereby required by the Commissioner, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, under Section 401 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, to stop forthwith all types of works, business, and to vacate the building V/S-412(2) of KMC Act, 1980, at premises No. 50/1-D/1, GJ Khan Road... as the same has been commenced... without sanction...,” the notice said.
It added: “If you fail to comply forthwith with the requisitions of this notice the Commissioner may, with the assistance of the Police, stop the continuance of the illegal construction and the cost of such Police watch will be realized from you at prescribed rates.”
Police and paramilitary personnel had placed guardrail barricades in front of the houses. Entry points within 200 metres of the buildings remained sealed.
By Friday evening, some shops had reopened and a semblance of normality had returned to the neighbourhood.