Its tenants had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on its repair-redevelopment. The owner and tenants have been at loggerheads for many years. While the owner wants to pull it down and construct a new building, the tenants want it repaired.
Out of the 19,642 cessed buildings in the island city of Mumbai, there are just 11 that are in a dangerous state and may collapse any moment during the monsoon. Out of these 11, the heritage structure of Esplanade Mansion near Kalaghoda once again finds a mention.
Esplanade Mansion, also known as Watson Hotel, is a heritage structure in Kalaghoda area and is India's first and oldest surviving cast-iron building. It has been in the dilapidated list of the Mumbai Buildings Repair and Reconstruction Board (MBRRB) of Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) since 2009 at least.
Its tenants had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on its repair-redevelopment. The owner and tenants have been at loggerheads for many years. While the owner wants to pull it down and construct a new building, the tenants want it repaired.
The building is popular with lawyers due to its proximity to the high court and sessions court.
According to the petition that was filed, the building is a heritage structure and the owners are interested in redeveloping it. The advocate for the petition had argued that the building could be repaired in a phase-wise manner without displacing the tenants.
"In all, there are 379 families and 310 commercial outlets in these 11 dilapidated buildings," said Prakash Mehta, housing minister.
On April 30, a building that was under repair had partially collapsed, killing six and injuring three. This building hasn't found a mention in the dangerous buildings list of MBRRB.
Meanwhile, Mehta, while briefing the media, said that within the next few days a formal announcement will be made on Mhada's affordable housing lottery draw. In all, there will be 970 tenements.
"Software upgrade is being carried out. Moreover, the government had taken a decision on increasing amounts of each of the income groups; a government resolution may be issued before the announcement of the draw," he added.
Dilapidated buildings
144, Esplanade Mansion, MG Road
44-46, Kazi Street
108-112, Shaikh Memon Street
Goragandhi Chawl, building number 122C, Khetwadi Back Road
39, Chowpatty Sea Face
208-220, Kazi Sayyed Street
55-57, Nagdevi Cross Lane
Building number 13F, Chakla Street
6-6B, Chamar Lane, Byculla
46-50, Lucky Mansion, Mirza Ghalib Road, Clare Road, Byculla
Gharkul, NM Joshi Marg, Byculla
Control room number 9167552112
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