Nagpur: Acting on the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court’s Aug 4 directive, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Monday demolished four bridges constructed illegally over a nullah in Kachipura-East Shankar Nagar to open up the water channel and removed obstructions restricting natural flow of stormwater.Officials said cement concrete slabs had effectively covered portions of the nullah and encroached upon civic land. The bridges were constructed without authorisation to allow access to commercial establishments in the area, officials said.The action was jointly carried out by Central Encroachment Removal Squad-II and Dharampeth Zone anti-encroachment team. The civic body deployed JCB machines for the demolition drive.The four locations targeted were the access road towards Corner House Dhaba, the road leading towards Apna Dhaba and NH-1, a stretch near the premises of Jagdish Saoji, and the approach road towards Sai Vatika.Officials said Sai Vatika manager Vijay Talewar allegedly obstructed the demolition proceedings and abused the anti-encroachment staff. Additional police personnel were summoned and a case was registered against him. He was subsequently taken to the police station, allowing the NMC team to resume and complete the operation.The nullah flows from West Shankar Nagar towards East Shankar Nagar and is an important natural drainage channel for the area. TOI had earlier reported how illegal cement bridges and coverings had choked a substantial stretch of the nullah in East Shankar Nagar. Of nearly 400 metres examined, only around 50 metres remained open, while the rest had been bridged or covered.The demolition comes at a time when Nagpur has witnessed recurring flooding and waterlogging during intense spells of rain. Such obstructions can substantially reduce the carrying capacity of natural drains, increasing the possibility of waterlogging during intense rainfall.The latest action also comes against the backdrop of judicial scrutiny of the civic body’s handling of illegal constructions in Kachipura. HC had questioned the delay in acting against unauthorised constructions despite demolition notices having been issued under Section 53(1) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act in 2016.Officials said the drive would continue to ensure that all unauthorised constructions over the nullah are removed.The HC has also pushed NMC towards preparing a comprehensive stormwater drainage plan to address the city’s persistent drainage deficiencies.