Worli building without occupation certificate in soup

Mumbai: It has come to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s attention that Orbit Plaza, a Prabhadevi building whose fourth floor is owned by actor John Abraham, does not have an occupation certificate (OC). When The Asian Age contacted the actor, he said, “I do not have enough information about the issue right now.”  Mr Abraham had been under the BMC’s scanner since early 2015, after the civic body found unauthorised internal alterations within his fourth floor property at Orbit Plaza, which presently houses a gymnasium. However, the BMC issued a notice to Mr Abraham, and the alterations were removed.

Assistant commissioner of the G South ward, Bhagyashree Kapse on Monday confirmed the development. “One of the notices sent earlier has John Abraham’s name, and action was taken by the BMC in relation to the premises to which the notice was issued.”

The building proposal (BP) department has directed the G south ward, under whose jurisdiction this area falls, to take action against the owner or occupant or the developer of the building. The BP department’s letter to the ward, a copy of which is with The Asian Age, points at FSI violations on the premises from the 1st floor to the 6th floor of Orbit Plaza, and directs the ward to take action as per the Mumbai Regional Town Planning (MRTP) Act or BMC Act.

The department recently visited the building premises and noted internal features of the building, which are free of FSI, and have been encroached upon. The department also observed FSI violations.  

An official of department said, “The building does not have an OC because the builder did not apply for one after its construction was completed. Now each of the six floors has been sold to separate owners. The OC can still be given as soon as it is applied for, but there are FSI violations, which need to be fixed by the owner first.”

However, the ward claims to have not received letters from the BP department directing action under MRTP or BMC Act, even a month after they were sent out. An official from the ward office said, “We have still not taken any action against the building because the BP department has not given us its remarks. It never takes a month, but we do not know what is wrong.”