BMC Unable to Provide RTI Information Of A Plot & No Action On Illegal Construction on Same Plot

In a shocking revelation under Right to Information (RTI), BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) (Building Department) failed to provide information relating to the old building and the local HE ward BMC reluctant to take action on the same area for illegal construction.

Modi building on city survey CTS no. 2021, an almost 70 years old building is located at Prabhat Colony, Santacruz East. The residents in order to redevelop the building had filed an RTI to acquire building papers. Till the 1st RTI hearing, BMC building department had shown inability to give papers. A 2nd hearing was held on 12th November 2020 by State Information Commission (SIC), Mantralaya. In this hearing, BMC (building department) is being ordered to provide all the necessary documents relating to the building.

In the latest development on 17th November, the illegal construction has been started on the same plot for which RTI was filed. After repeated complaints and follow-up with the BMC HE ward, the officials are very reluctant to take action against illegal construction.

Residents are very much shocked by the attitude of the BMC officials. So they have approached the local Corporator and also directly communicated with the BMC Commissioner, Iqbal Chahal.

It has been told that there is a strong nexus between the builder, contractors and BMC officials to carry out such illegal work.

One of the local residents said “The work is in full swing to complete the structure. Whenever the contractor used to get a clue of BMC official’s visit, Contractor and workers vanishes from the site. Then BMC official says that no one is here to talk and goes away. Then again work starts.“

“Here is a water logging problem due to rains and drainage water being low lying. Shockingly neither permission was taken for construction on an open plot nor provisions for drainage lines. We hope that our problems will be heard by the deaf ears“, the resident added.