3 days ago
Kalina Residents Challenge BMC Inaction Over Unauthorised Society Construction
A housing society in Mumbai was accused of changing parts of its building without approval.
The BMC sent the society a legal notice in May 2025.
The notice mentioned changes to lobbies, storage areas, stairway access, and parking spaces.
Residents say the local BMC office did not act after giving the society a month to respond.
Senior officials later asked the local office for updates.
Commissioner Ashwini Bhide ordered the process to be completed within three weeks.
Residents say that deadline also passed without action.
They want the suspected illegal structures addressed and officials held accountable.
The BMC issued an MRTP notice in May 2025 over alleged deviations at Hoshang Baug Cooperative Housing Society in Santacruz East.
The notice cited an unapproved lobby, altered storage and lobby areas, blocked staircase access, and parking changes.
Residents say the H/East ward office took no enforcement action after the one-month compliance period expired.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishwas Mote and Commissioner Ashwini Bhide later directed the ward office to report and conclude action.
Voice of Kalina has demanded action against the allegedly unauthorised structures and accountability for responsible officials.
- Who
- Voice of Kalina, affected residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mrudula Ande, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishwas Mote, and Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.
- What
- Residents accuse the BMC’s H/East ward office of failing to enforce an MRTP notice concerning alleged unauthorised construction and plan deviations.
- Where
- Hoshang Baug Cooperative Housing Society near Vakola Masjid in Santacruz East, Mumbai.
- When
- The notice was issued in May 2025; follow-up directives were issued from February through August 2026, according to the article.
- Why
- The notice cited alleged deviations from sanctioned building plans, while residents say officials failed to act despite repeated directives.
Residents and civic activists
BMC ward officials
Enforcement of the MRTP notice
Residents and civic activists
Voice of Kalina and affected residents say the BMC should act against the alleged unauthorised construction and enforce the notice without further delay.
BMC ward officials
The article records directives from senior BMC officials requiring action and reports, but the Assistant Municipal Commissioner and Deputy Municipal Commissioner did not respond to the publication’s calls and messages.
Responsibility for the delay
Residents and civic activists
Residents allege deliberate negligence, disobedience, and dereliction of duty by the H/East ward office, and have sought administrative accountability.
BMC ward officials
No response from the concerned officials was reported, so the BMC ward office’s explanation for the delay remains unavailable.
Safety implications
Residents and civic activists
Residents and activists say the unchecked deviations could affect fire safety and structural integrity.
BMC ward officials
The article does not report a substantive response from BMC officials addressing those safety allegations.
Key facts
- Property
- Hoshang Baug Cooperative Housing Society Ltd.
- Location
- Near Vakola Masjid, Santacruz East, Mumbai
- Legal notice
- Issued under Sections 53(1) and 52(1)(b) and (d) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966
- Notice date
- May 2025
- Alleged violations
- Unapproved lobby, altered storage and lobby areas, blocked staircase access, and parking-space changes
- Senior directive
- Ashwini Bhide instructed the ward office to conclude the process within three weeks on July 20
- Follow-up
- A complaint-redressal officer directed immediate action and a compliance report on August 3
Quotes
Voice of Kalina residents association
Residents’ association representing complainants from Kalina.
“The BMC has clearly admitted illegality through the MRTP notice but the AMC is showcasing willful defiance, disobedience, insubordination and dereliction of duty. The official can be suspended under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act for not acting on the MRTP notice till a fair investigation is completed,”
freepressjournal.in
“take further necessary action in regard to the notice issued under MRTP and conclude the process in three weeks' time.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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