A ground-plus-four storey building in Zaveri Bazaar pioneers new concept to skirt redevelopment and reconstruction norms; the proposal has reportedly received the municipal commissioner's nod
So far, the BMC knew how to handle two kinds of building proposals: repair and redevelopment. And just when it may have thought it had seen it all, along came the residents of a ground-plus-four storey building on Third Agyari Lane in Zaveri Bazaar asking for assent for ‘100% repair’ — something akin to redevelopment or reconstruction, but not quite.
The residents of the building, which was declared dilapidated in June 2012, first sought permission for repair, but when work commenced in March 2013, they realised that the building would have to be constructed afresh.
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Trailblazer: The dilapidated building in Zaveri Bazaar (covered in blue tarpaulin sheets) that the residents want to ‘repair’
Since a space crunch
wouldn’t allow them to follow reconstruction norms, residents appointed an architect and submitted the proposal for 100 per cent repair to the BMC’s building proposal (BP) department.
“They were not keen to officially go in for redevelopment or reconstruction of the building, but they wanted to construct it all over again, just as it was earlier,” said an official from the BP department. He added that had the residents opted for redevelopment or reconstruction, they could have lost FSI as they would have to keep an open space of 1.5 metres on all four sides of the building. “Keeping in mind that they had only about 530 sq m to begin with, they decided to submit this unique proposal,” he added.
On behalf of the building’s owner Shaikh Abdul Kased, architect Manoj Jangid of Konarch Associates approached the BMC with the proposal. Jangid was not available for comment.
While the proposal has reportedly received the municipal commissioner’s assent, Rajiv Kuknur, chief engineer of the Building Proposal department, was asked how many 100% repair proposals had been sanctioned earlier. He said, “I have no idea about it.”
Corporators irked
The proposal has irked members of the BMC Standing Committee, who have asked the BP department to submit a detailed report on the case. “We have demanded a report. How can the ‘100% repair’ concept be accepted?” said BJP leader Manoj Kotak, member of the Standing Committee. Yashodhar Phanse, the panel’s chairman, said committee members would visit the site.
Civic chief Sitaram Kunte was unavailable for comment.
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