The Indian Express           01.08.2013

97 illegal building in non-slum areas: Report

The report, compiled by BMC's removal of encroachments (RE) department, shows that 70 of the 97 unauthorised buildings are in the H-West ward, which includes Bandra, Khar and Santa Cruz (West). The ward is spread over 11.55 sq km and has a population of 4.21 lakh.

"Some of these buildings may be prone to collapse. We have started issuing notices to owners and residents of the structures. Action will be taken if they do not comply," additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani told Newsline. The number of such structures may increase or decrease depending on action taken by the local ward officers and verified complaints of citizens, he added. Notices to these structures have been served under Section 56 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1996, and Section 354 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888 (MMCA, 1888), which deal with unauthorised constructions and alterations.

The report also reveals that illegal alterations have been reported in 430 originally authorised constructions in Mumbai, rendering the structures illegal. The R-Central ward comprising Borivali, Gorai and parts of Kandivali has 96 such buildings. K-west ward, which includes Juhu, Vile Parle and Andheri with 55 such buildings, and R-North ward covering Dahisar and parts of Borivali with 38 buildings are also under the scanner.

The report has highlighted 143 structures in slum areas that are on the verge of collapse. Most of these structures are located in the L ward including Kurla. If non-slum areas are included, a total of 74 unauthorised multistoreyed structures have been identified as dangerous.