The Brave Pedestrian

Mumbai, 31st January, 2018: After RTI Act was enacted in 2005, activists were filled with optimism that the system could be reformed. We believed that MCGM would enforce DC Regulations, Fire Safety norms, etc. if we pointed out violations by builders, hoteliers, contractors, encroachers, slumlords, politicians, etc.  Sadly, our experiences in the last decade have proven us wrong. WE WERE WRONG ABOUT MANY THINGS 1) Earlier, we believed that INFORMATION COMMISSIONERS, APPELLATE TRIBUNALS & COURTS would uphold us with straightforward interpretations of laws and rules. We were wrong.  2) Earlier, we believed that the establishment would HONOUR AND PROTECT RTI ACTIVISTS and whistleblowers. We were wrong. People who expose wrongdoings are termed as blackmailers. They are targeted by both sides.  3) Earlier, we believed that DEEMED CONVEYANCE would give home-owners control over their destinies. We were wrong. It only gives scope for more rampant c...

Mumbai, 7th April 2017: The deadline date for housing societies of Mumbai to correct BMC capital valuation of their properties is fast approaching, and society managers and office-bearers have clearly been caught unawares. With less than one week left, property owners should act quickly in the next six days, or risk having to struggle with unduly high property tax rates for years to come. Unknown to most Mumbaikars, MCGM issued a circular last month giving notice that the Capital Valuation for the forthcoming years has been completed for fixing up property tax applicable to property owners and that "they will be available for inspection at the office of the Asstt. Assessor and Collector in the respective wards… between 23rd March 2017 to 13th April 2017." It added that "complaints against the Capital Values... must be made in writing by the property owners themselves or by the persons duly authorized by them under a power of attorney." BMC’s notice may be down...

Mumbai, 13th January, 2017: K Raheja Constructions got away with lots of violations in their Horizon Green project in Borivali East . They succeeded in procuring Drainage Completion Certificate (DCC) and Occupation Certificate (OC) in early 2015 without actually constructing drainage. T o hoodwink potential flat-buyers and early-bird occupants , the Rahejas tried to secretly dig a soak-pit in December 2015. T he plan was to cover up the lack of a sewage connection by channeling the sludge into a soak pit and pumping it out every month . But this plan backfired when residents of the neighbouring building alerted BMC , who slapped a stop-work notice . But the Rahejas defied the stop work orders, continued the work and complet ed the soak-pit. So MCGM lodged a police complaint and got an FIR registered against the Rahejas . Illegal soak pit of Horizon Green building under construction in December 2015 Click here for PHOTOS of Horizon Green’s soak pit. Clic...

Mumbai, 30 th December 2016: Did you know that Mumbai municipal officials can bulldoze and smash entire streets without official paperwork? No show-cause notices, no letters and memos, no demolition register entries, no records whatsoever. It's like normal BMC tod-phod in broad daylight, except there's no paper trail. If you ask under Right To Information, BMC says, “No records exist”. On the morning of 10 th December, 2015, Dinesh Bhosle (Sub Engineer H/West Ward), Vikrant Manyar (Junior Engineer) and Siddharth Kasare (petty works contractor) went to 40 th Road, Old Khar West with casual labourers and a hired bulldozer, and smashed up many shop extensions. Here's a video of the demolition , with local resident Imran Mansuri (red shirt) arguing with BMC officials and a policeman. Constable Sanjay Ware in this photo was identified by Khar Police Station in response to Imran’s RTI application. Following Mansuri's complaint to Deven Bharti , Joint ...

28 March 2016: An activist friend named Abbaas Naqvi (9892000098) wrote in October 2012 about BMC's modus operandi of defending illegal constructions. Abbaas wrote from his experiences in Malad P-North Ward of BMC/MCGM, where he and other activists (such as Shahnawaz Shaikh 9867768070) were trying to get municipal officials to take action against illegal constructions (especially TV studios) sprouting in the area. Activists are fighting an uphill battle against BMC officials who take undue advantage of their official position. People are losing hope because authorities take no action against errant officials, even when written complaints and evidences are submitted. Civic officials are defeating the town planning by abetting illegal constructions violating Development Control Regulations. No-Development zones are goldmines for officers dealing with unauthorized construction. Below, I am reproducing Abbaas‘ writings. As I am convinced that this is largely factual, I take full ...

Since redevelopment started in 1991 about two decades ago, and builders could augment the FSI (Floor Space Index) of the land by purchasing TDR (Transfer of Development Rights), cooperative housing societies started neglecting their structures. Seduced by builders who promise larger houses and new buildings, building societies have been keen to steamroll opposition to their redevelopment proposals by individual members by deliberately allowing their building to deteriorate, so that structural auditors can declare them as “dilapidated”. Earlier, it was a nightmare for a society to be told that its building was structurally unsound, and managing committee members and general body members alike were anxious to avoid it by regular re-plastering, painting and repairing. But in the last two decades, a report from structural engineers saying that the building is “dilapidated” or is in need of “major rapairs” has been the dream of every managing committee, because it legitimizes their quest ...

October 20, 2009:  Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) and Maharashtra Government has given in to pressures from builders, and made far-reaching changes in existing laws through the back-door. Bypassing the state legislature, they issued GRs (circulars) that negate existing laws and Development Control Regulations (DC Rules). These changes are endangering lakhs of people in high-rise buildings, and in fact, entire neighbourhoods which are a combustible mix of high-rise buildings, slums, illegal encroachments, CNG filling stations, stores, unauthorized godowns and factories, etc. How was this legal scam carried out?  Read the below scans from a book on Mumbai’s REVISED Development Control Rules 1991 (2003-04 edition). I have marked key points in these scans with a red dot.  Also, many lines are underlined by  Mumbai's Chief Fire Officer (CFO) P D Karguppikar,  who gave these to me during an RTI Inspection. DETAILS OF THE SABOTAGE: A.   ...