NMC notice to Wockhardt for restaurant in parking place

Nagpur: Misuse of parking spaces in high-rise, especially commercial, buildings continues unabated. Despite numerous NMC notices, violations were on the rise in commercial buildings, sources told TOI.
Another example of misuse of parking space has come to light in Wockhardt Hospital premises, on North Ambazari Road. M/s Bouffage Hotel has begun making a restaurant in the building's basement, which is actually meant for parking of vehicles, according to assistant municipal commissioner of Dharampeth zone Mahesh Morone.

After being pointed out by a citizen, Morone visited the place and after survey, the zone office issued a notice to Wockhardt Hospital asking it to stop the work immediately. In the notice, Morone has cited the high court's direction of October 15, 2015 to NMC to free all parking places in high rise buildings, especially commercial and residential.

A copy of the notice misuse was also issued to Maharashtra Rashtrabhasha Sabha as owner of the building for not adhering to the sanctioned building plans while constructing the multi-storeyed Hospital on its land. Rashtrabhasha Sabha had given a major portion of the land on lease to the hospital.

It is not the first time that the hospital has received such a notice. In the past too, it had given permission to another eatery in the same place. TOI has reported that as per sanctioned plan, the building should have a parking lot on the ground floor. In reality, the hospital's lobby and reception occupy the ground floor. A parking lot has been constructed in front of the building, contrary to the sanctioned plans.

Besides misuse of parking space, the hospital had carried out unauthorized construction of around 1095.79 sq metres and the zone office had also issued a notice under Section 53 of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act.

The hospital had also carried out unauthorized constructions on the fourth and fifth floors. On the fourth floor, the illegal construction measures 102 sq metres on the south and east sides. On the fifth floor, the entire 120 sq mtr temporary tin structure was illegal, a senior official from the zone office told TOI.