Business Line             19.04.2013

BMC notice to top politicians on illegal alterations

Acting on complaints received from social activists, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has issued notices to six politicians, including three Cabinet ministers, for allegedly carrying out unauthorised alterations and additions to structures owned by them in two housing societies at Worli here.

The notices have been issued to top politicians who live in Shubhada and Sukhada societies in Worli, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, Ministers in the State Cabinet Patangrao Kadam, Anil Deshmukh, Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil and MPCC President Manikrao Thakre.

“The notices have been issued under 53(1) Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act (MRTP) Act. IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y.P. Singh had raised the issue of illegal structure alterations and user conversion in the politicians’ Worli housing societies,” a top civic official on condition of anonymity told PTI.

He also said even the societies were asked to remove the illegal additions. However, when they failed to take any action, BMC issued these notices recently.

The BMC has given them a month’s time to remove the illegal constructions, Commissioner Sitaram Kunte said.