Mumbai Port Trust seals building at Elphinstone Estate over lease-term breach

Mumbai: The Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) sealed the Gokul Premises Co-operative Housing Society situated at Elphinstone Estate, in Parel, following several breaches of the lease term. The building was sealed on March 31 after there was no response received from the lessees on the multiple eviction notices sent by them.

On March 31, the building was sealed following lack of response from lessees and eviction proceedings. The Estate officer had also served notices against all the seven lessees and provided opportunity to appear before the matter. “The building was sealed after the Estate Officer passed the final eviction order against the order and also payment of port trust dues which were amounting to Rs 1 crore and damages amounting to Rs 6 lakh,” said Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman of MbPT.

The MbPT owns the land situated Elphinstone Estate and the said plot was leased for 30 years to Maganlal Mehta and six others commencing from February 1974. It was done through lease terms approved by board of trustees.

The said lease expired on February 15, 2004 and there was no renewal clause in the lease term. “Instead of surrendering the premises after expiry of the lease, the lessee continued to occupy the premises and committed several breaches of the lease terms. The breaches included unlawful sell of units on ownership basis. The occupants had also carried out unauthorised alteration in the premises and constructed mezzanine floors without our permission,” added Bhatia.