Navi Mumbai tower fire 'exposes illegality', car park given to hospital

NAVI MUMBAI: Tuesday's fire on the 22nd floor of Mahavir Plaza tower, sector 19, Airoli, has brought to light serious irregularities in the complex that have jeopardized lives of local residents.
Around 7pm, Navi Mumbai fire brigade received a call that a major fire had started in a flat on the topmost floor and personnel rushed to the site to evacuate the residents. Many residents informed the media about how three levels of car parking in the complex were illegally converted for commercial uses.
"We are forced to park cars on the road outside, as the designated levels of parking have been illegally converted into a hospital and banquet hall. Whenever any wedding is organised in the hall, the street is choked due to double parking, which is dangerous," said a local resident. Another said Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation had been informed by activists about the irregularities through letters but civic officials ignored them.
Additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Patil told TOI, "We will probe the alleged irregularities. Action can be taken against who ever is responsible. No one, including those in the hospital, was injured in Tuesday's fire."
Fire brigade personnel said the fire spread from the kitchen of the flat on the 22nd floor but was soon doused.
"The flat belongs to the Chavan family. A woman was cooking in the kitchen and she accidentally got locked out of the flat. But NMMC must look into the bigger issue of blatant conversion of car parking space into a hospital and banquet hall," said a flat-owner.
RTI activist Anarjit Chauhan said the municipal commissioner must take action against local ward officials.