Mumbai building resident sends legal notice to own society over eatery

A resident of a housing society on SV Road Santacruz has sent a legal notice to his own society Jayaram Poduval shot off a notice on July 13 this year after the managing committee of the building he resides in Santacruz West View Cooperative Housing Society failed to act against a restaurant on its premises allegedly operating with irregularitiesThe Yoko Sizzlers outlet on the ground floor of Santacruz West View Cooperative Housing Society PicSameer MarkandeThe society then sprung into action and informed the BMC and police of the matter Iconic restaurant Yoko Sizzlers has been functioning for 35 years out of the ground floor of the building that was constructed in 1967 An agreement was signed between the society and restaurant in 1987 wherein the establishment was allowed to operate with certain riders In return the owner of the restaurant and property would pay the society R1000 per month as maintenanceBut as occupants of the society changed complaints of nuisance caused by the restaurant rose According to residents it has violated several clauses of the original 1987 agreement These include restrictions against workers loitering inside society premises climbing the water tank and making additions or alterations to structuresldquoMy living room faces the rear end of the restaurant From here you can see workers chopping vegetables and changing their clothes The restaurant had even erected a permanent structure to house their vessels but after we complained to them they pulled it down Some lockers were made to accommodate staff belongings and a water tank were made All these are illegal Why doesnrsquot the society or BMC take action against themrdquo asked PoduvalldquoAlthough there are two entrances to the society people end up using just one because the restaurant is on the other This is quite a problemrdquo said GA Fatnani a senior citizen who resides on the first floor Both Poduval and Fatnani have complained of noise and exhaust fumes bothering them late into the night since the restaurant operates till midnightRajesh Sharma building chairman said ldquoThe staffers climb the water tank to turn on the supply They can look right into our homes I hope they come to the discussion table with us and resolve mattersrdquoSharma claims that the society has written several letters to the restaurant BMC and local police in the past At one meeting with a senior police inspector of Santacruz police station the restaurant agreed to some terms but residents claim things went back to square oneAfter Poduvalrsquos notice Sharma sent him a written reply stating ldquoWe are calling a general board meeting at the earliest to be attended by all society members to try and resolve this matter amicablyrdquo It was only after this that they wrote to BMC and the police claims PoduvalThe restaurantrsquos viewYoko Sizzlers maintains that there is no illegality in their operations Poduval claims that the society never wrote to Yoko Sizzlers until he legally forced them to do soRefuting all allegations Tanveer Abdi restaurant manager said ldquoWe have due permissions from the BMC and the society to construct the water tank Besides the lockers are on one side and donrsquot occupy much space A tarpaulin that covered our belongings and a cabinet for storage were removed after the society objectedrdquoLevelling allegations against the society Abdi said ldquoThey have illegally converted a part of the common toilet area into the society office Besides members have tried to block vehicles from entering the premises by placing iron rods Now my men have to haul up the grocery and vegetables from the roadsiderdquoAbdi claims that the society is trying to oust them in order to go into redevelopment Sunday midday tried to contact ward officer Vijay Kamble of HWest ward and officials from the building proposal department but both were unavailable for comment