Corporators slam BMC for its inability to punish developers

Some realtors refuse flats to non-vegetarians

For the third time, the civic improvements committee has slammed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for its inability to take action against developers, who are allegedly denying flats to buyers on the basis of food preference. The corporators said that the civic body should act strictly to rein in such errant developers.

The civic body had stated that it cannot change its development control (DC) rules to enable punitive action like denying municipal permissions against such developers. Civic officials said that the BMC would not intervene in such cases, as the DC rules, which are technical in nature, cannot be changed.

Corporators condemned the civic officials’ claims in the improvements committee by claiming that it is working under pressure from builder lobby. “These builders are pressurising the administration to have their own set of rules and the officials are thrusting those views on us,” said senior MNS corporator Dilip Lande.

NCP corporator Haroon Khan alleged that some of the developers are denying flats to non-vegetarian people, citing various excuses. The BMC should force these builders to display the rates and number of vacant flats in the buildings, he added.

Commenting on the matter, Shiv Sena corporator Shubha Raul said, “It’s a very serious matter that instead of prohibiting people with criminal records, builders are denying flats on the basis of food habits.”

On the backdrop of reports of flats being refused to non-vegetarian people by some builders, MNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande had demanded that the BMC should not issue intimation of disapproval (IOD), commencement certificate (CC) and water connection to such developers. An IOD is approval of civil plans, while the CC authorises a developer to undertake the construction.

However, the civic administration had said that it does not have any provision in its rules to do so. The civic improvements committee had earlier rejected its claims twice and had sent the proposal back to the DC department asking it to change its rules to incorporate corporators’ suggestions.