Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s action against encroachments/ illegalities appears to be lopsided. While it takes punitive action against petty vendors swiftly, it is going slow against big offenders. In the last six months, the zone offices have initiated action against only 15 owners of unauthorized buildings as against 515 identified for violating sanctioned plans.
A majority of these constructions do not have mandatory permissions. These citizens have made illegal changes to the existing structures and erected commercial shops on residential plots in violation of rules. The high court too had ordered the civic body to act against all unauthorized constructions in the city within six months. The administration also compiled information about illegal buildings from its property tax department.
As per data from the enforcement department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the highest number of violations were found in Satranjipura and Mangalwari zones with 121 unauthorized constructions each. It was followed by Dharampeth zone with 119 structures.
Time and again, additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare had issued directives to demolish all unauthorized constructions. But even his orders were overlooked by assistant municipal commissioners of all the 10 zones.
“Misuse of parking spaces in high-rises, especially in commercial buildings, continues unabated. Despite numerous NMC notices, violations are on the rise in commercial buildings,” said Madhukar Kukade, president of Citizens Forum of Equality — a city-based NGO.
He cited an example of misuse of parking space on the premises of a private hospital on North Ambazari Road. M/s Bouffage Hotel had constructed a restaurant in the building’s basement, which was actually meant for parking. Even assistant municipal commissioner of Dharampeth zone Mahesh Morone had confirmed this violation and on December 12 last year issued notice to Maharashtra Rashtrabhasha Sabha, owner of the building.
In another case, notice was served by Gandhibagh zone on Rajwada Palace in January this year for illegal constructions on its terrace.
Similar violation of sanctioned plan was carried out in Nirmal Ujjwal Credit Cooperative Society township. On July 25 last year, the Nehru Nagar zone had found unauthorized construction of around 804.708 sq mts by the builder and developer in violation of Section 53 (1) of Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act.
Another violation of sanctioned plan was by Sawarkar Nagar-based Hotel Lotus Inn. The entire hotel has been built in complete violation of the sanctioned plan. As per the sanctioned plan, the building was meant for residential apartments, but in reality a hotel is being run there. Not just that, the hotel, which had opened in August 2013, continues to misuse the ground floor stilt parking as an illegal extension of the restaurant kitchen. The hotel’s reception too has been built in a portion of the parking.
In most of these cases, zonal offices had issued notices to the owners directing them to remove unauthorized constructions within 30 days. However, no action has been initiated against the violators despite they ignoring the notices and continuing with the illegalities.
