Get flat buyers out of illegal occupation (fire) trap, say activists

Moving into an underconstruction building without an occupation certificate OC or an NOC from the fire brigade You might just be walking into a firetrap and then some Following recent fires in highrise residential buildings activists have compelled MahaRERA to and BMC to discontinue the policy of allowing unauthorized occupation of these buildingsAccording to them such buildings are not only risky to reside in but also have a chance of illfighting firerelated incidents as they may lack necessary equipment and restrict fire engines because of construction related workWith BMC allowing unauthorized occupation by levying a mere Rs 50 per sq m penalty a majority of underconstruction buildings in the city have allowed illegal occupation Watchdog Foundation a citybased NGO had recently complained about one such building in Bhandup violating the OC and NOC normsAdvocate Godfrey Pimenta who is also the foundertrustee of the NGO said Weve already complained to the Chief Ministers Office and decided to officially lodge our protest against such practices by developers Allowing this is not only risky but also against the rulesMoreover this is a new trend being seen across the city where developers who fail to keep their promise on the date of project completion under MahaRERA allow flat buyers who put pressure on them to occupy the incomplete structure The developers term them as unauthorised occupants and pay a penalty of mere Rs 50 per sq m towards the cost of each flat The penalty amount is an eyewash attempt by the BMC said Nicolas Almeida another activist from the NGOPimenta added We are of the belief that fire fighting equipment and underground water tanks in such underconstruction buildings will not even be operational In case of any untoward event it would be difficult for the rescue operation to commence or even the fire engines to reach the site Well be taking up this issue at the highest level and ensure that this is stopped immediately so that there is no loss of property and lifePimenta will also be discussing the issue with MahaRERA chief Gautam Chatterjee to appraise him about the ground situation stating Under RERA if the developer is delaying possession of the property the flat purchaser upon making his complaint with MahaRERA is entitled for an interest on delayed possession at the rate of 10 per cent till the time of handing over of possession The whole exercise of penalising the developerbuilder for delayed completion turns futile when the developer through his nexus with BMC pays a penalty of a mere Rs 50 per sq m by addressing the flat buyer as unauthorised occupants which is not only bad in taste but exposes a nexus between BMC and the developerHighly risky and objectionableVinod Sampat AdvocateThis is a seriously wrong practice and only endangers the life of innocent flat buyers It exposes the nexus between the builder and the BMC officials The idea here is to support the developer in his wrongdoing It is common knowledge that the costliest cars are invariably seen near the BMCs building proposal office as the developers and architect keep meeting building proposal officials We all know that corruption is rampant hereP D KargupikarFormer Mumbai Fire ChiefIt is highly risky and objectionable to allow such practices BMC should not allow this The National Building Code 2016 clearly states that firefighting measures should be in place and in working condition even in under construction buildings Due safety measures need to be place or else the onus will continue to be on the developerCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates