Gordon grouse

BMC has slapped a legal notice on Colaba hotel Gordon House, asking it to vacate the premises, since it does not possess an occupation certificate

The BMC is sitting up and taking note of all the structures in the city that are in use, even though their proprietors have not made the effort to acquire the occupation certificate necessary for the occupation of any building. The building that has now come under the scanner is the upscale hotel in Colaba, Gordon House.

The BMC issued a notice to the hotel on April 7, asking for immediate evacuation of the building. While the hotel has been closed, purportedly for maintenance work, its restaurants are still offering services to patrons. MiD DAY has obtained a copy of the notice that was sent to the director of Wah Restaurant Pvt Ltd, the organisation that runs Gordon House, rapping it for not having acquired the OC necessary for usage and occupation of the premises.

The proposal for opening the hotel was approved by the BMC in 1997, and it has been operational ever since. However, the BMC has charged that the hotel authorities began and continued service without obtaining the OC, the possession of which is mandatory, as mentioned in section 353-A of the Municipal Corporation Act.
The hotel authorities have been barred from reoccupying the premises following the evacuation, till the acquisition of the OC from a licensed surveyor.

A BMC official from building proposal department said, "There are many buildings - commercial as well as residential, which have not claimed their OCs. This is a legal offence." A Anaokar, deputy chief engineer of the building proposal department (city), confirmed that the notice had been issued, saying, "We will be taking necessary legal action for the offence. The restaurant will be prosecuted under section 353 of the Municipal Corporation Act. Our assistant engineer has issued a notice, asking the hotel authorities to vacate its premises immediately. It is mandatory for them to comply with our instructions. We do not have the power
to forcefully evict them, but we can take strong legal action."

One of the residents living opposite Gordon House said, "The joint is extremely popular, packed from the moment it opens every day. The lane is always chock-a-block with cars belonging to patrons who come to dine. Foreigners often put up in the hotel."

The Other Side
One of the staff members at Gordon House said, "It is true that a notice has been sent by the BMC, asking us to vacate the hotel premises. I cannot reveal further details." A spokesperson of Gordon House said, "I have no knowledge of any such notice received from the BMC. The hotel suites have been closed owing to some maintenance work. The restaurants are still operational." Despite repeated attempts, Ravi Deol, managing director of the Indian Hospital Corporation, the body that governs operations in Gordon House Suites, Mumbai and Pune, was unavailable for comment.