Ghatkopar building residents meet BJP MP, who promises to bring up the matter of their building's redevelopment in winter session Parliament
In 2015, redevelopment activities at the Ghatkopar building were stopped
Residents of housing societies around Defence establishments continue to live in dilapidated conditions even though two years back the Devendra Fadnavis government had issued a circular relaxing the norms for construction activities near the Defence area.
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Even as most societies in the city continue to face the problems, residents of Sarvonnati society, Cama Gali, Ghatkopar, took up the matter with BJP worker Amit Vyas, as they are not being able to get clearances from the Navy for redevelopment of the building.
At a meeting organised by Vyas between the society members and BJP MP Gopal Shetty at Borivli, the residents urged the latter to take up the matter with the Defence Ministry during the winter session of the Parliament that starts from December 11. "We are not asking for a new building. The existing one needs to be redeveloped. Earlier, I had raised the issue in the Lok Sabha and the minister of state, Defence Ministry, had assured that norms would be relaxed. But, as nothing has been implemented, the issue needs to be raised once again in the Parliament," Shetty told mid-day.
Neeta Shah, a resident of the building, said the structure needed to be repaired immediately. "The government is not giving us permission saying we require a no-objection certificate from the Navy," Shah said.
In 2015, about 83 tenants of the society had signed a development agreement with the builder. Within a year three floors were constructed, but work had to be stopped, as they did not have an NOC from the Navy. As redevelopment work of several societies in the eastern and western suburbs were facing problems due to these guidelines, the rule was amended the following year. The government in November 2016 issued a circular mentioning that the periphery of the ban on construction around Defence land had been reduced to 10 metres from 500 metres in non-security zones.
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