The Indian Express 01.08.2013
97 illegal building in non-slum areas: Report
in non-slum areas, according to a recent internal report of Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation (BMC). The civic body started gathering this data
after the five-storey Aftab Manzil in Mahim collapsed in June. It
arrived at the estimate based on citizen complaints and actions
initiated by 24 ward offices.
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.
