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Sand dearth halts Tilak building work

Mhada has already spent Rs85 lakh on heritage bui lding whose restoration should have been completed by January.

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The restoration work being carried out by the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) at the famous Sardar Griha building, where Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak breathed his last on August 1, 1920, has come to a standstill because of a shortage of sand. The authority has now approached the Bombay high court, seeking an extension for carrying out work at the grade III heritage structure.

The ownership rights of Sardar Griha, one of the most famous buildings at LT Marg, were contested by tenants in 2009. As a result, the repair and restoration work was put on hold.

While hearing the tenants’ petition, the high court had considered the building’s historical significance and restrained the tenants from obstructing the repair works. It had directed that all efforts be made to preserve the building.

The court had further directed the high court receiver’s office to retain the building’s possession and ordered the Mhada to complete the restoration work by January 2011, failing which the authority’s chief engineer would be held responsible for the delay.

Following directions, a joint inspection was carried out on December 29, 2009, by a team comprising Mhada and BMC engineers, the court receiver’s representative, an architect and structural engineer appointed by the Mhada, along with tenants’ representatives.

The inspection had revealed that restoration work is needed for passages on the LT Marg and Lohar Chawl sides of the building and also the roof. Other repairs included replacement of room flooring of tenements wherever required, and treatment of leakages wherever necessary.

Till now, the Mhada has spent a total of Rs85 lakh on the restoration work. An estimated Rs50 lakh more is likely to be spent. Appearing for the Mhada, advocate GW Mattos said: “Till now, the house in which Tilak stayed has not been restored fully. The repairs have only been carried out to the building.”

The Mhada had appointed M/s Pawan Constructions to carry out the restoration work. However, the construction company recently moved the court receiver’s office, seeking an eight-month extension for the restoration work, citing shortage of sand as the reason.

The plea came up for hearing before single judge RY Ganoo last week.

The Mhada opposed this petition. Mattos said: “We gave two applications to the court receiver’s office - on January 24 and February 21. This was not considered. The Mhada has allotted the restoration contract to the construction company. Thus, our plea has to be considered and not the construction company’s.”

Justice Ganoo has accordingly directed the Mhada to submit a report to the court within three weeks about the estimated cost for the remaining restoration as well as the time period it will require.

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