BMC's K-West ward issues notice to Narayan Rane for inspection of Adhish Bungalow in Juhu

Narayan Rane. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Union Minister Narayan Rane has been issued a notice by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), for conducting inspection and measurements to check illegal construction of his Adhish Bungalow in Juhu.

A notice signed by a designated officer of K-West ward was issued to the owner/occupier on Thursday, under section 488 of Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, 1888. The letter stated that a team of K-west ward and Building Proposal department will visit Adhish Bungalow in Juhu on Friday, February 18 to inspect his bungalow and verify complaints of illegal constructions of the bungalow.

The letter from the designated officer of K-West ward stated "I hereby give you a notice that I shall on the day 18/02/22 thereafter anytime pursuant to the provision of the last-named section to enter with assistants and workman into or upon the premises no Adhish Bungalow CTS number 997 and 997-A Mumbai 400049 of which in order to inspect the said premises to take measurements and photographs of the same."

It further added, "Please be present for the same along with last approved/authentic documents of relevant structure."

The civic body has received multiple complaints regarding the illegal construction of the bungalow in the past by a Right To Information (RTI) activist Santosh Daundkar.

The letter written by Santosh Daundkar

A fresh letter has been submitted by the activist to the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal stating that the officials who have failed to take action in the past after the complaints were filed should be punished. Satosh Daundkar said, "On Friday morning, February 18, 2022, I have mailed to the BMC Commissioner to punish and fine the officers who failed to take action in the past. On Thursday too I had given a complaint to follow-up on the action taken on the matter."

According to Daundkar, he had filed complaints in 2021, 2017 to the BMC and Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) as the bungalow was constructed in violation of Coastal Regulations Zone (CRZ) norms. He alleged that the bungalow was constructed within 50 meters of the sea which violates the CRZ rules.

"My complaints to the MCZMA were forwarded to BMC for further action. But the civic body failed to look into the matter in the past," said Daundkar.