Mumbai: Shop built in car lift is back after BMC demolished it

Mansuri's garment store, made in the car lift, hinders the other shop ownersu00c3u0083u00c2u00a2u00c3u0082u00c2u0080u00c3u0082u00c2u0099 access to the basement car parking. Pics/Ashish Raje

Kenilworth Mall's bete noire Sultan Mansuri is back, and he hasn't given up on encroaching the property's car lift. After the BMC demolished the garment shop he'd made in the lift, he has returned to reclaim the same spot. But no action is being taken against him now.

Kenilworth Mall has a two-level basement as parking area, which can accommodate more than 15 cars, for each parking space, members have paid R5 lakh. Mansuri's garment store hinders the other shop owners' access to the basement car parking.

Captured and demolished
They said approximately 2,500 sq ft area was illegally captured by Mansuri to make a shop in August 2013, which was demolished by the BMC in December 2014. mid-day had highlighted the matter in 2014, which led to BMC demolishing the encroached property.

Mansuri's garment store, made in the car lift, hinders the other shop owners' access to the basement car parking. Pics/Ashish Raje

Dagdu Sonawane, society committee member told mid-day that the structure has come back on the car lift area. Despite taking the matter to local police and BMC, no action has been taken against Mansuri.

Another member said that after the demolition, Mansuri managed to acquire interim relief from the Dindoshi court in July 2017 against BMC taking up any demolishing drive on the said property. The member added Sultan hid the fact from the court about the encroached space being demolished earlier by the BMC.

Favouring Mansuri?

Society's counsel Ram Pandey said they'd written a complaint to the police and BMC in November 2017 after Mansuri began reconstructing the store. This was protested by the society members. The members then filed an application in Bandra court this January for the same. Mansuri submitted his reply in June, saying he is authorised to use the area and no demolition had taken place earlier.

Another member said BMC can easily demolish the encroached structure but seems to be favouring Mansuri. mid-day reached out to zone DCP Paramjit Dahiya and assistant commissioner of H-west ward, but they remained unavailable for comment till the time of going to press.

Rs 5 lakh
Amount each member paid for parking space

Sultan says
Sultan Mansuri denied all the allegations. He told mid-day that he'd been appointed as the caretaker of the building. He has taken the car lift on rent, and pays for it regularly. He took it on rent because the lift was lying unused. He said the mall has several illegal encroachments, but people are targeting him because they fear he will expose them. He added that the court has given him interim relief against demolition.

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