Wish I was a builder….

The above hideous looking building is coming up at the plush Altamount Road, Malabar Hill. You cannot escape it…When you drive through the Breach Candy Flyover, to your left you can see this building from the bridge…Friends, this building is the best example of BMC-MHADA-BUIDLER nexus. We journalist live a good life, you know. Especially, if you are known to be non-corrupt!! A lot of NGO’s & small time RTI activists, who in my view do a better job than the known ones, approach us with good stories & information. For this particular case, the NGO based in Worli has the taken the said builder hands on. The same builder mind you was also the partner in Ruby Mills, I’m told. Anyway,  Even after sending all the necessary proofs’ with all supporting documents, this NGO had given up as the thick skinned authorities refuse to act on anything. Below is the the list of illegalities this NGO thinks are enough for the BMC commissioner to issue the builder  a Stop Work Notice & set an inquire on the same….


(And yes, those interested I have a set of all the necessary documents…)

1. When the build purchased (Original Sale Deed is dated 9th October) the property in 2007, there were originally only 5 tenants on the plot along with 4 car garages. When the NOC was given by the MHADA, how did the original tenants disappear and the number went up from 5 to 16?

2. How come all 5 tenants which rose to 16 are now shown as Pvt. Ltd Companies? Best part is all 16 tenants are certified by MHADA…hence involvement & management done of MHADA officials cannot be missed. 

3. It is also interesting to note that the Tenant Certified List as given by MHADA, it is mentioned that these very Pvt Ltd Companies, which were incorporated between August 2007 & February 2008, were in existence in MCGM extracts since 1996; and that they were a part of voters list and that Electricity Bills prior to 13.6.1996 also had the names of the said Tenants. Since then only I guess, MHADA has stopped accepting Pvt. Ltd Conapmies as Tenants.

4. Now, the original tenancies have spilt up and the area occupied by them has been inflated and certified by MHADA, thereby causing a huge financial windfall for the Developer. 

5. As per the DP remarks & CRZ plan, the plot under reference falls in CRZ as of the date on which the plans were sanctioned, yet no CRZ clearance was obtained. 

6. MCGM has sanctioned the building plans as under:

    a. Parking Floors: 1st to 14th Floor (45.32 Mt. Height)

    b. Fitness Centre: 15th Floor 

    c. Service Floor:   16th Floor

    d. Residential Floors: 17th Floor to 36th Floor (Building Height Approx 125 Mts.)

7. As per High Rise Committee Norms, buildings over 70 Mt Height require 2 staircases and the Mandatory 6 Mt Open Space on the side for Fire Fighting. The Open Space in this building is 1.50 Mt all around.The building was cleared when Shaliesh Mahimtura was in charge of the HRC, and his own firm is the Structural Engineers of this building..

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