City unit president Bhupendra Lakhawala and Standing Committee chairman N V Patel told Express Newsline that water and drainage connections of middle- class families should be regularised if they are willing to pay the fine. A large number of houses on the ULC plots did not have completion certificates, making the water and drainage connections unauthorised, Lakhawala stated.

``The BJP had no objection if the topshots are targeted,'' the city party chief said. ``The drive against unauthorised constructions is a welcome sign and an encouragement for those who go in for legal connections,'' Patel said, adding that it should be in a controlled manner.

About the demolition drive, Lakhawala said as the entire civic machinery was engaged for the purpose, there was little the BJP could show to the public as constructive measures undertaken.

When contacted Municipal Commissioner G R Aloria said he had informed the Standing Committee members that at present there was no question of regularising unauthorised water and drainage connections as it would send wrong signals. In the Committee meeting held on Thursday, the members had asked the civic chief to bring a proposal for regularising the connections.

He told Express Newsline that the drive against unauthorised construction and illegal water and drainage connections would continue.

Additional City Engineer B S Trapasia said 30 unauthorised water connections were severed from Gokuldham Society in Harni. Sixty-four connections were cut off from Pooja Park Society on the outer VIP Circle and 7 from Poonam Park Society on the Ajwa-Waghodia Road.

Aloria said he had instructed his staff to cut off large diameter connections instead of smaller diameter connections like that of half-an-inch and one inch. This, he said, was to avoid machinery from being engaged in more work and get less results.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (General) I B Peerzada informed that in a drive conducted by three assistant municipal commissioners, the VMC recovered on Thursday outstanding property tax worth Rs 7,25,118 from the defaulters. He said the defaulters paid the amount when the squads went to cut the connections. Water connections of 25 persons who did not pay the amount were severed. Highest number of connections - 7 - were disconnected from administrative ward number 10. The squad also recovered Rs 2,82,024 from the defaulters.

On Wednesday, the VMC had disconnected 35 connections and recovered more than Rs 5 lakh from the defaulters.

Senior officers of the VMC are meeting on Friday to review the demolition drive and disconnection of unauthorised water and drainage connections.