The Bombay High Court recently allowed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to use a building at Byculla for housing individuals required to be kept in quarantine.
It also accepted the BMC’s undertaking that it would start making payments aggregating to over ₹28 lakh per month to the original residential and commercial tenants from April 24, until the possession of the building is handed over to the developer.
Around 975 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in ‘E’ Ward. There are about 2,699 high-risk contacts in the ward who have come in close contact with such patients, and need to be quarantined.
Therefore, by an order dated April 25, the BMC requisitioned for the building. The possession was taken a day earlier and the BMC is willing to pay compensation to the developer/tenants for use of the building as a quarantine centre.
The advocate appearing for the developer said it will not object to the use of the building by BMC if the civic body agrees to pay the actual monthly compensation payable to the original tenants in lieu of temporary alternate accommodation from April 24 onwards, till the building is being used as a quarantine facility.
The BMC counsel said it was willing to pay the compensation to tenants who have yet to receive possession of their premises.
Few tenants appeared
The Division Bench of justices S.J. Kathawalla and N.R. Borkar noted that out of 218 tenants, 208 tenants had not even bothered to place their say before the court. Thus, it passed an order allowing the BMC to use the building as a quarantine centre, and accepted its undertaking that it will make payments aggregating to ₹28,38,587 per month to the original tenants.
The court also ordered the arrears of compensation from April 24 be paid within 15 days and the monthly compensation shall hereafter be paid on or before the 24th day of each month, starting June 24.