Mumbai: The construction of a 47-storey building has been challenged before the Bombay high court on Monday.
An NGO has urged the court to direct the demolition of the building off Dr Annie Besant Road in Worli. Brashtachar Nirmoolan Sangathana (BNM) has accused Raheja Universal Private Limited (RUPL) of violating CRZ norms.
The NGO has accused municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak of permitting the construction in April 2008 using his discretionary powers.
BMC gave RUPL almost 4194.84 sq metre of plot on lease at a nominal rent of Re 1, advocate for BNM Uday Warunjikar said. The petition says the builder should pay rent according to the prevailing market rate. Under the Development Control Regulation (DCR), the regulation 64(b) gives discretionary powers to the municipal commissioner to modify provisions under the regulation when "demonstrable hardship" is caused.
BNM has, however, contended that a bare reading of the sanction granted by the commissioner to the RUPL shows that no hardship was caused to the builders and no reasons were recorded for granting the permission.
After hearing the case on Monday, the court asked BMC and RUPL to file their replies. The next hearing is on October 22.
