Mumbai: Army restaurant was renovated minus RTI approvals

The controversy around repairs done in the Esplanade Mansions iconic Army Restaurant grows murkier The family behind it that renovated it to turn it into a new Iranian eatery named Sabalan had previously told midday that they had requisite permissions for the renovation which conservationists were worried could endanger the UNESCOrecognised heritage site However an RTI response has now revealed that no such permissions were sought from the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee MHCC for the Grade II heritage structureThe Esplanade Mansion is currently Indias oldest cast iron building and experts say that even tenantable repairs are a heavy cost to pay File PicOn December 6 2018 midday had reported in Its like partying on the Titanic deck about the renovation of the Army Restaurant which was revamped into Sabalan The Taste of Persia After the report was published conservation architect Apoorva Iyengar of the Federation of Residents Trusts FORT Foundation filed an RTI query regarding the repairs and requested for proof of approvals from MHCCThe decision to file the RTI was collectively taken by Iyengar with the UDRI Oval Trust NPCCA and the Kala Ghoda Association among others The response delivered post the 30day deadline revealed that no permissions had been sought nor were any such proposals receivedMHCC will inspectTo followup on MHCCs reply Iyengar visited their office last week She said I spoke to the officials and they werent aware of the midday report or the renovation So I showed them the images of the interiors that were published and they seemed shocked In any case it is a Grade II heritage building and they should have gotten permission especially since the restaurant is situated on the ground floorA senior MHCC official who had looked at the report admitted that it was incorrect of Sabalans owners and the Mansions landlord to not approach MHCC But along with the RTI a complaint should have also been filed so we could have taken action Now that we informally know of the problem we will go and inspect the area he said In response to MHCC Iyengar said that filing a complaint will be the next stepFormer MHCC chairman V Ranganathan concurs MHCC is not a missionary They dont have the mechanism to go all around the city and check buildings That responsibility lies with the ward officers But if a party approaches MHCC for permission the body will see to it that work is done in compliance withconservation normsDK Jagdale chief officer of MHADAs repair and reconstruction board blames the planning authorities BMC for the mixup This is an internal issue and doesnt fall under our domain The court has appointed a committee to look after this building and we can only intervene when they decide to repair or demolish it he maintainedEsplanade owner saysMeanwhile the mansions landlord Sadiq Ali who frequently visits the restaurant asserts that there wasnt any need to seek permission from MHCC in the first place They have only undertaken colouring and marble work which was done with BMCs permission If unauthorised repairs were carried out I would have filed a case against the owners myself And even if experts insist that such repairs have taken place I am ready to personally go have a look said AliA Grade II heritage structure implies that a building or precinct carries special architectural or aesthetic merit The Esplanade Mansion is currently Indias oldest cast iron building and experts say that even tenantable repairs are a heavy cost to pay The permission process is so bureaucratic that people prefer not to opt for it The Mansion is not the only heritage structure to have been tampered with So where do you stop the buck We need more transparency said a senior architectCatch 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