Residents want repairs, will not vacate risky structures

Mumbai: Despite the onset of heavy rains in the city — residents of three dilapidated buildings in south Mumbai classified as “dangerous” by MHADA in its pre-monsoon annual exercise — are yet to vacate the premises.

Of the three buildings, Esplanade Mansion in Kala Ghoda, Colaba has been getting eviction notices for the past 15 years but continues to house up to 80 tenants. The residents have been awaiting a No Objection certificate (NOC) from the BMC to carry out repairs for the past five years.

Meanwhile, the landlord of the building, Sadiq Ali Noorani, claimed, “It has been 15 years since our building is in their list but till now, no damage has occurred.

A private audit by engineers and an audit carried out by the court commissioner when we approached the high court, have both certified that our building is safe and needs only minor repairs.”Regarding their application for repairs not having moved for the past five years, Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner, A-ward, said, “The owners do not have papers regarding their pending dues. I think they have some `40 to `50 lakh of pending dues. Once they give assessment of the same, NOC will be given.”

In a similar vein, the residents of Fatima Bai Chawl on Bara Imam Road and Dhoble Bhuvan on Kazi Street have refused to vacate their homes.

“We don’t want to vacate for redevelopment when the building can be repaired,” said one of the shop-owners from Dhoble Bhuvan.

Earlier in June, MHADA had declared seven buildings in the city as “dangerous” and “highly dilapidated”.

The authority vowed to evacuate these structures by the first week of June but several residents continue to stay in these buildings.