Shopkeepers who had stores at the Dreams mall in Bhandup West have complained that the three-storey structure, which has seen two fires since 2021, is in a pitiable condition and they have been dealing with mounting losses while not being allowed to ply their trade. The mall has been shut since the first blaze broke out on the intervening night of March 25 and 26, 2021 at Sunrise Hospital—housed on the third floor of the mall, killing 11 patients. The shopkeepers said they have written to the BMC multiple times.
 
There were 1,050 shops in the mall. In the blaze that occurred in 2021, 450 shops were burnt, but 600 of them are still intact. We have not been allowed to use the latter for the past two years. Yet, property tax and sewerage tax are being levied by the BMC. The mounting burden of property tax, and retrospectively billed sewerage tax from 2014, is akin to theft of our property,” said a shopkeeper, Nithin Bangera, who alleged that the civic body is turning a blind eye to illegalities.

The mall’s shopkeepers have been writing to the BMC for months seeking relief. Pic/Sameer Markande