Mumbai: Bar, eateries thriving on illegal structures in Nahur along GMLR?

Shops that have allegedly illegally added one more floor, at Nahur along the GMLR. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

About 50 commercial establishments along the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road have illegally added additional floors under the pretext of being affected by road-widening work, an activist has alleged. The shops now include an illegal pub and food outlets that are unsafe and overcrowded during weekends, he said. The BMC had ordered action against 27 of these units in Nahur in April but nothing has been done yet, said activist Gajendra Pipada.

The activist said the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) was widened in 2020, affecting 111 shops in T-ward. Eleven shops were allowed to construct an additional floor as per the Kurar Pattern - under this arrangement, a shop that loses 50 per cent or more area during road widening can build another floor. Several commercial establishments on Shankar Rao Naram Path in Lower Parel and stalls on Bandra's Linking Road have been allowed benefits under the Kurar Pattern. However, many shops along the GMLR that lost little area took advantage of the Kurar Pattern to illegally add one more floor, said the activist.

"I had asked for information under RTI about the shops and whether they had the permission to construct more floors under the Kurar Pattern. After getting the information, when I checked on the ground, I found that most of the shops that do not have permission had indulged in illegal construction," said Pipada, who lives in Mulund. "Many of these shops run eateries and a banquet hall that house hundreds of citizens at a time and the number multiplies on weekends."

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Citing RTI data, Pipada said shop numbers 30, 36 and 46 to 51 were not given permission to construct any additional structures as they were not entitled to the benefit under the Kurar Pattern. Joints like MRP pub, Food Studio, Rajashri Marble and Sweet Home and Festa Banquets are operating from these illegal structures, said Pipada. mid-day reached out to these establishments for their version but none responded.

mid-day sought versions from many shops over the alleged illegalities but none responded

A source from T-ward, which covers Mulund area, said authorities had called for action through what is called a "speaking order" in BMC lingo in April. "The orders were issued to the shops claiming the construction was illegal and needed to be taken down but nothing has happened after that," said the source. "After this, transfers happened in the BMC and new officials have arrived, who are yet to take any action," he added.

For two weeks, ward officials did not respond to mid-day's queries over the status of the action on the illegal structures. Chakrapani Alle, assistant municipal commissioner of T-ward said, "The matter is very serious. I will instruct the officials concerned to look into it and take appropriate action. Also, we will inquire why action wasn't taken earlier despite clear orders from our own office." Alle said, "Also, I will ask the health officer to inspect the food outlets that are operating. Necessary action will be taken against the violators."

50
No of shops that have allegedly violated rules