B-ward head's anti-illegal construction drive riles residents and their 'representatives'
The corporators and other politicians in the civic body’s B-ward have been unhappy ever since Kishore Gandhi took charge as the new assistant commissioner 10 days ago. This is because the dynamic ward officer has already put a stop to the illegal construction being carried out in a 70-year-old building. Scared that their part in granting permissions to such illegal works in the ward will be revealed, they now want to oust Gandhi as soon as possible.
Gandhi recently found out that illegal additions were being made at 273, Gulab Mansion on Ibrahim Rehamatulla Road in B-ward.
Although the Maharashtra Housing & Area Development Authority (Mhada) had granted permission for repair work to be carried out in the building, Gandhi took prompt action when he found that the work being undertaken was not in the plan submitted to the civic body’s building proposals department.
In a report dated November 6, dna highlighted that developers buy old, dilapidated structures in B-ward and add floors to them without the necessary permissions. Activists believe that these illegalities go unchecked because everyone — right from the developer to the BMC ward officers — is working hand-in-glove.
“Politicians are informed about it and civic officials, too, do their bit to ensure that the illegal work is successfully completed. Civic activists and residents who try to complain are harassed by the ward office to such an extent that they stop following the case,” said a civic activist.
The ward office is now in the process of preparing a summary report of all complaints received regarding illegal structures, extensions and additions in the area. This has sent the corporators and political representatives in the area into panic mode. MLA Amin Patel will reportedly meet the municipal commissioner to demand Gandhi’s transfer.
Waqarunissa Ansari, Congress corporator from ward 222, where the incident occurred on Tuesday, said Gandhi’s act was arbitrary and that he needs to be punished. She said, “How can a BMC official take action when Mhada has given its go-ahead?”
Ansari added that no prior notice was given to the building residents, and they didn’t have enough time to vacate their houses. She added, “Residents had raised funds for repairs. How can the assistant commissioner be so ruthless and not think of the implication of his actions on the lives of these poor people?”
Javed Juneja, Congress corporator from ward 223, supported Ansari in her protest against the new ward officer. Ansari and Juneja’s wards have the maximum number of illegal buildings in their ward.
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