Illegal constructions: BMC begins demolition in Worli society, top notch politicos in dock

Mumbai: Almost two years after illegal alterations in shops owned by top state politicians in Worli’s Shubhada Sukhada housing society were exposed, the BMC has finally struck the hammer on them. After much delay and several attempts to get police protection, a team of engineers from the BMC’s G-South ward began the demolition on Tuesday.

The civic body demolished two shops having unauthorised construction while illegal alterations in eleven shops were brought down amid heavy police protection. The leaders on whose shops illegal alterations were demolished included former minister Pratapsinh Mohite, former Congress minister Ranjit Deshmukh, former Union minister and governor of Punjab Shivraj Patil, Salil Deshmukh (son of former minister Anil Deshmukh), Ashokrao Patil and a former BJP legislator Daulat Rao Ahir.

“We had issued several notices to the owners asking them to restore their shops as per the approved plans but many of them did not do it. Enough time and opportunity were given to them. Finally, we had no option but to carry out the demolition,” Keshav Ubale, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, G-South ward, told Firstpost.

Over 40 civic workers and 10 officers were part of the demolition team.

Civic officials said that there were two more cases which are still pending with the state government for regularisation. “We did not touch those structures and will wait till the state government takes a call on them,” Ubale said.

On 13 December, Firstpost had reported about BMC’s plan, nearly two years after it first issued notices to the concerned politicians, to demolish illegal alterations in the shops of these political leaders.

In April 2013, the civic body had issued notices under the Maharashtra Region and Town Planning (MRTP) Act for allegedly carrying out unauthorised constructions in their shops and had asked them to remove the same within a month. The leaders, who were issued notices by the BMC, included former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar, late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Punjab governor Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, Maharashtra state Congress president Manikrao Thakre, former ministers Patangrao Kadam, Anil Deshmukh and former state Congress chief Ranjit Deshmukh among others. The information regarding the MRTP violations emerged following complaints from RTI activist Amit Maru.

Civic officials said that the illegal alterations included constructing the mezannine floors, amalgamation of shops and glass partitions. Following the notices in April 2013, municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte had postponed the demolition after granting an extension to the politicians to get the changes ‘regularised’ or remove illegal alterations. Except Kadam, all had got notices for illegal alterations on the ground floor of Shubhada. While Kadam got a notice for amalgamating three shops in Sukhada into a gymnasium, Pawar received two notices - one was for converting two shops in Shubhada into a gymnasium and the other was for converting a shop into an office. Munde was issued a notice for combining a shop and a basement room into an office.

While Munde moved his office out of the premise, Kadam has moved a proposal for regularising his amalgamated gymnasium to the state urban development department. The shops meant for convenience stores were illegally altered, amalgamated and converted into offices and gymnasiums. While few owners removed the illegal alterations and changes made to it, most of them did not adhere to the BMC’s notice.

Meanwhile, in February 2014, the civic body had also attached these two housing societies over non-payment of property tax bills from the year 2006. According to data provided by the Assessor and Collector department of the BMC, the total outstanding property tax dues from Shubhada society was Rs 11.94 crore while Sukhada society was to pay up Rs 4.42 crore. These are sums incurred from April 2006 to March 2014. The total outstanding amount of property tax of both the societies was around Rs 16.36 crore.

Civic officials said that the societies have not yet paid the total outstanding property tax amount and now are in process of issues notices to them asking to pay the remaining amount.