Juhu locals write to BMC chief about flouting of bldg norms……Clara Lewis
Mumbai: The Juhu Scheme Residents Association (JSRA) has complained to municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya about buildings being constructed in the area in complete violation of Development Control Regulations.Juhu is one of the citys wealthiest neighbourhoods and home to Bollywood stars.It is also a low-lying area and was amongst the worst affected during the July 2005 floods.
The association carried out a survey of already constructed and under-construction buildings from North South Road number 6 to North South Road number 10 and their preliminary survey showed 80 cases of gross violations.There are 15 roads in the JVPD scheme.
As a result of our survey and inquiries,we found that there are 11 cases where violations are suspected on N S Road number 10;12 cases of violations on N S Road number 8 & 9 as well as 13 cases of violations on N S Road number 6 & 7.There are 50 other buildings under various stages of construction presumably following the same methods, reads the letter sent to the municipal commissioner.Kshatriya said,If the residents association has complained,I shall take serious note of it.
Utsal Karani,secretary,JSRA,said the association members were willing to accompany civic officials to carry out a joint inspection of all the violations in the neighbourhood.Karani said the floor space index in the area was in excess of the limit of 2.In some cases,it was more than 4.The primary reason for this exploitation is the granting of an Occupation Certificate by the building proposal department to shell apartments where there is nothing except for four walls.This creates scope for violations, he said.The illegalities,he said,were an encroachment on open spaces that adversely affect the rights of bona fide tax-paying residents to light,air and privacy.These violations result in hardships for residents in the immediate vicinity and ultimately affect the entire neighbourhood, he said.
The residents have provided instances where gross violations have occurred: A flat is for sale4,800 sq ft of super built-up area,3,600 sq ft of usable area and area mentioned in the agreement is 2,400 sq ft,which is presumably according to approved building plan.The difference between usable area and the area mentioned in the agreement is 50%.The market price is quoted as Rs 11 crore.A 2-BHK apartment is for sale1,000 sq ft of super built-up area,700 sq ft of usable area and area mentioned in the agreement is 469 sq ft.The FSI in new JVPD Scheme buildings with this modus operandi ranges between 3 and 4, he said.
SOME OF THE VIOLATIONS
* The builders sell incomplete flats called raw or shell flats with only four walls and nothing else.The flat owners break external walls and extend beyond the architectural features in the rooms,thus increasing the FSI beyond permissible limits
* After granting of an Occupation Certificate,parking space is amalgamated and turned into a living area.TOI had recently exposed this scam in the JVPD area
* The terraces near the flats on top floors are illegally transferred by the builders to top-floor flat owners
* The BMC-approved plans show a duct near the rooms,which are illegally converted into toilets
* Each side of the building is extended illegally by 4 to 9 feet
* The area provided for fire-fighting is amalgamated illegally with the flat to increase the saleable area
* The pergolas provided on the terrace are illegally converted into rooms
* The BMC-approved plans show basement as parking/stores or AC plant room,whereas the said area is used for a completely different purpose like servants and drivers quarters and storage space sold separately to flat-purchasers