Illegal constructions on Palm Beach road Navi Mumbai

21 Palm Beach buildings illegal

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan admitted in the state assembly on Tuesday that 21 of the 23 Palm Beach Road high-rises under probe have violated construction norms, putting the heat on Navi Mumbai builders.
A three-bedroom apartment on Palm Beach Road, often called the ‘Queen’s Necklace of Navi Mumbai’, can cost upwards of Rs 1 crore. The chief minister’s admission threatens to expose the web of malfeasance that besets the real estate sector in the satellite city.
Earlier this year, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) had found 23 high-rises on Palm Beach Road in violation of floor space index (FSI) norms. It ordered their developers to either regularize the illegal additions, such as extra floors, or demolish them. Heeding the warning, a few builders made a handful of corrections; the rest did not. The NMMC, however, is yet to raze the remaining unauthorized extensions. NAVI MUM BUILDERS UNFAZED BY PROBE Developers Claim ‘Minor Alterations’ Are Not ‘Gross Illegalities’, Feel Singled Out By Authorities The NMMC passed on the names of 23 towers in violation of FSI norms to the chief minister. TOI has a copy of the list. Among the buildings found in the wrong are Venus (under scrutiny for three extra illegal floors), Shagoofa and Vanashree in Nerul’s sector 58A. In Sanpada’s sector 18, the errant builders include Bhumiraj Constructions, Sai Homes, Paradise Makers and Sea Queen.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena members Prakash Bhoir, Nitin Bhosale, Harshvardhan Jadhav and Ram Kadam recently filed a query on the issue, which came up for discussion on Tuesday during zero hour. Replying to the query, Chavan admitted that 21 high-rises had violated FSI rules and that a notice for demolition of the illegal floors was served on March 18 this year.
When prodded on why no demolition action had been initiated since, Chavan assured the House that strict action would be taken against the guilty. He however added that in five cases developers had submitted proposals for regularization of the illegalities. “They will be regularized if legally permissible,” he said.
When MNS members demanded action against officials who allowed the illegal constructions, Chavan said that a CID probe was already going on.
During the discussion, the BJP’s Girish Bapat demanded criminal action under provisions of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act. He contended that action under the Maharashtra Region and Town Planning Act had failed to deter culprits.
Navi Mumbai’s Congress corporator Dashrath Bhagat criticized the government’s action. “Why is there a CID probe into just 21 towers on Palm Beach Road? I am sure there are many buildings in the city which need to be scrutinized by the NMMC and Cidco for blatant FSI violations.”
NMMC commissioner Bhaskar Wankhede said: “I am aware of the (CID) probe. The NMMC had submitted its report regarding Palm Beach Road towers to the CM.”
TOWERING VIOLATIONS
The NMMC this year found 23 buildings on Palm Beach Road in violation of FSI norms.

Here are their addresses and the names of their developers:-

• Moraj Finance Corporation Plot no. 8 and 8A, Sector 17, Sanpada
• Bhumiraj Construction Plot nos. 1 and 2, Sector 18, Sanpada
• President Construction Plot no. 3, Sector 18, Sanpada
• Sai Homes Plot no. 4, Sector 18, Sanpada
• Paradise Homes Makers Plot no. 5, Sector 18, Sanpada
• Sea Queen Developers Plot no. 6, Sector 18, Sanpada
• Bhumiraj Construction Plot no. 1, Sector 19, Sanpada
• Abhishek Enterprises Plot no. 2, Sector 19, Sanpada
• Shree Dinshaw Developers Plot no. 3, Sector 19, Sanpada
• Kesar Housing and Developers Plot no. 5, Sector 19, Sanpada
• Palm Beach Builders & Developers Plot no. 20, Sector 6, Nerul
• Jay Balaji Co-op Housing Society Plot no. 26, sector 6, Nerul
• Vignahar Developers Plot nos. 5 and 6, Sector 14, Nerul
• Punit Paradise Co-op Housing Society Plot no. 7, Sector 14, Nerul
• Sagar Darshan Co-op Housing Society Plot no. 38, Sector 18, Nerul
• Home Builders Plot nos. 3 to 10, Sector 36, Nerul
• Mrs. Shailaja Narayan Mhatre Plot no. 133, Sector 36, Nerul
• Pamgro Sahakari Grihnirman Sanstha Plot no. 134, Sector 36, Nerul
• Akshar Developers Plot nos. 1, 1A, 1B and 1C, Sector 46A, Nerul
• Gahlot Construction Plot no. 3A, Sector 46A, Nerul
• Vanashri Co-op Housing Society Plot nos. 1 and 2, Sector 58A, Nerul
• Shagufa Co-op Housing Society Plot no. 5, Sector 58A, Nerul
• Venus Grihnirman Sanstha Plot no. 8, Sector 58A,Nerul
• Palm Beach Residency by Wadhwa

MAKING ROOM FOR MANIPULATION

• Ignored fire safety norms
• Illegally constructed additional floors
• Covered the stilt area meant for parking
• Extended rooms into flowerbeds
• Unlawfully built rooms or offices on top floors
• Constructed toilets or servant rooms on mid-landing using additional FSI
• Covered the lobby without permission
• Put up doors or gates that did not exist in original plans
• Placed generators in the parking space
• Illegally built additional balconies or terraces

In the past the issue of FSI norm violations was raised in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) in 2010. Standing committee members Shivram Patil and Dashrath Bhagat claimed that illegal extensions had been made in almost 350 towers

In Nov 2010, Navi Mumbai municipal chief Bhaskar Wankhede asked the town planning department to submit a report within two months on violations of FSI norms laid out by the state urban development department

Three teams were formed under the town planning department’s assistant director Sanjay Banait, each consisting of two engineers.
The teams found 23 builders defying regulations

In February this year, the NMMC issued show-cause notices under clause 53(1) of the Mumbai Town Planning Act 1966 to 23 builders.

On March 18, 2011, the anti-encroachment department served them a one-month notice. The NMMC ordered the builders to regularize the unauthorized constructions or demolish them

A few builders made some corrections. The NMMC is yet to raze the other illegal extensions.

Advisory For Flat Buyers

1. Ensure the property has a clear title
2. Study the property thoroughly
3. Inspect the builder’s track record and talk to owners of flats in his prior projects
4. Avail a token loan from a nationalized bank
5. Ensure the project has all permissions
6. Ask for a bar chart of the various stages of construction
7. Ensure there are negative covenants
8. Get the building architect to certify the flat’s carpet area and consult a professional to check the building plan
9. A builder cannot sell open/stilt car parking space or pocket terrace.

Vijay Singh,Falguni Banerjee & Sandeep Ashar TNN (Times of India).
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