Sea Rock development waits for green signal

The state government on Thursday made it clear that the decision to grant more floor space index (FSI) to rebuild Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra was conditional.

The hotel needs to get a no objection certificate (NOC) from the environment department as it falls in the coastal regulation zone (CRZ).

“The civic body has not allowed rebuilding of the hotel yet because it is yet to get an NOC from the environment department,” minister of state for urban development Bhaskar Jadhav said.

Vinod Tawde, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, had raised the issue in the legislative council. He alleged that the hotel was being rebuilt by violating the CRZ rules. “As the hotel falls in the CRZ, the ground floor cannot be demolished. But it is not possible to build a multi-storey structure without rebuilding the ground floor,” he said.

Jadhav, however, insisted that no CRZ rules were being violated.

For over a decade, the hotel has been embroiled in a legal tangle. Post-1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts in which Sea Rock’s18th floor was one of the targets, the hotel suffered structural damages. Its renovation got mired in the dispute between the Luthria brothers, which landed up in court. UB Luthria and GB Luthria sold their controlling 70% stake to the Nandas.

On the other hand SB Luthria had sold his shares to Mumbai-based developer Vicky Oberoi’s Skydeck Properties. Many, including prominent politicians, were interested in acquiring the hotel, but were uncertain over the viability.