India, Nov. 9 -- Days after Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) commissioner Saurabh Rao ordered officials to complete land acquisition for the long-delayed Diva Road Over Bridge (ROB), with police protection if required, the civic body razed a building next to the under-construction bridge on Thursday, leaving its residents homeless days before Diwali.

A local social worker, Rohidas Munde, criticised the demolition, alleging that farmers whose land was taken for the project have yet to receive fair compensation.

"Making common people homeless in the name of development is not development. We want the ROB too, but we will not tolerate bulldozers being used only on common people's homes," he said.

Munde claimed that properties of several ...