Worli bldg gets BMC notice for illegal construction

Mumbai: The civic body has issued a notice to a Worli building housing MLAs and MPs for unauthorized works and irregularities in the structure. 

    Shubhada Co-operative Housing Society (CHS) on Pochkhanawala Road was allotted police land for the construction of private residential quarters for MPs and MLAs. It has five wings (A to E). 
    Acting on a complaint, civic officials inspected the premises and found that unauthorized construction and alterations had been carried out on the ground and the first floors of D and E wings. 
    On the ground floor, permission was given to construct 14 convenience shops such as grocery stores. Permission was also given to construct a basement for parking and storage. However,the user mode on the ground floor has been changed from convenience shops to office, showroom, and a gymnasium. The first floor now houses a polyclinic and offices. These changes in user mode have been carried out without permission from the BMC, states the notice. 
    Though the BMC served the notice (TOI has a copy) on January 28, the society is yet to take cognizance. 
    "After the building received initial permission to construct 
convenience shops, certain people in the society violated the law. They illegally merged the shops and connected them with the basement," alleged advocate Abha Singh. 
    One of the galas on the ground floor of the society also houses the office of a prominent politician. 
    "As merger of shops is not permitted under the law, a notice was served by the BMC to right the wrong. The building itself is in coastal regulation zone (CRZ). Construction in CRZ is a criminal offence under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Why is the BMC going soft on the housing society and not acting on its notice when Section 53 of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act says it's a cognizable offence," asked Singh. "I will soon approach the environment department for action under the Environment Protection Act." 
    When TOI contacted an official of the building proposals department who had served the notice and asked him about the delay in action, he said, "Our team will inspect the site again to see if the society has brought it back to the originally approved plan. If not, it will be prosecuted." 
    When TOI visited Shubhada CHS, the office of the secretary was closed and he couldn't be contacted.

Shubhada Co-operative Housing Society houses MLAs & MPs