New Delhi, Dec. 19. The capital’s biggest demolition drive rumbled into its third day along with a virtual admission by the city’s mayor that things had come to such a pass because of the greed of some officials over the past 40 years.

Mayor Satbir Singh today admitted that Delhi’s four-decade-long history of allowing illegal structures to flourish was a result of bribes paid to officials of the municipal corporation.

“You know how these things work, and have been working for 40 years,” he said, when asked why the illegal structures were allowed to be built. “Yes, there are transactions (between builders and officials) sometimes. What can I do?”

Singh said the demolitions were being carried out “because of the court order”, but refused to comment on the high court’s directive to the corporation to raze over 18,000 illegal constructions in four weeks.

The corporation today demolished over 80 unauthorised constructions and sealed 25 others amid violent protests by residents. In East Patel Nagar, police had to lathicharge protesters. Residents complained that hardly any of them had received notices from the civic body, informing them of the impending demolitions.

“Around a hundred houses are being destroyed here, and only two people have received notices,” said Sheila Bhargava of the Residents’ Welfare Association, East Patel Nagar.

The well-known Haldiram’s chain was hit, too, as its Lajpat Nagar building was demolished.

As the thud of breaking steel and concrete echoed across localities, Congress MPs from Delhi, led by Union minister Kapil Sibal, met lieutenant-governor B.L. Joshi.

Subhash Arya, the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, slammed the Sheila Dikshit government for its “apathy” towards Delhiites and claimed the demolitions could have been prevented. “Ms Dikshit should have gone to the courts and asked for an extension period. This is what our former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma did in 1997, when we faced a similar court order, for the demolition of commercial establishments,” he said.

“The building where the Delhi Development Authority is housed is itself illegal.”

Arya said BJP leaders were touring the affected residential areas “to express solidarity.... We stand with the citizens of Delhi at this critical juncture for our city.”