Naryan Rane (File) A day after notice was issued to Union Minister Narayan Rane for inspection of his bungalow to check illegal construction, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) postponed any further action till Monday. According to BMC sources, the civic team reached the bungalow around 5 pm on Friday with police protection. However, the team returned without conducting the inspection as no authorized person was present in the bungalow and since government action cannot be taken past 5.30 pm.
The BMC handed over a fresh notice to staff at the bungalow, informing them that the inspection will be carried out on Monday.
On Thursday, the Designated Officer from Building and Factory Department from K-west ward (Andheri) had issued a notice to the owner/occupier of the seven-storey Adhish Bungalow on Juhu Tara Road, informing that a BMC team will visit the bungalow on Friday for verifying complaints of illegal construction.
According to a source, on Friday, a team of BMC first visited Santacruz police station, seeking police protection for the inspection of Rane’s bungalow. Later, police deployed one senior officer and five officials for BMC’s help.
Rane’s bungalow Adhish has been mired in controversy since 2017 after complaints of violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Rules, 1991. The BMC’s action came after RTI activist Santosh Daundkar filed a reminder complaint with K-west ward on Wednesday. “I had complaints about Floor Space Index (FSI) and CRZ violations in 2017. But no action was taken. Hope the BMC will verify the illegal construction and take action,” said Duandkar.
The notice for Rane’s bungalow was issued under Section 488 of Municipal Corporation Act (MMC), 1888. Despite repeated attempts, Assistant Municipal Commissioner, K-west ward (Andheri) Prithiviraj Chouhan and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vijay Balamvar could not be contacted.
IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y P Singh said that such a huge FSI building standing right on Juhu beach was nothing more than “mockery of the law”. “There are very serious violations of the CRZ notification, 1991, and the building legally will have to face demolition action,” he said.
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