Mumbai: NSCI in trouble for 'sub-letting' halls to BJP MLA's kin

The highprofile National Sports Club of India in Worli is in trouble yet again for allegedly violating its lease conditions The club has built two new banquet halls measuring 22000 square feet and has given the operational rights to an event management company run by family members of BJP MLA Chainsukh Sancheti This despite the fact that the club premises are only meant to be used for sports activitiesThe NSCI is situated on nearly 11 acres of prime seafacing land in Worli on lease from the BMC As per the sanctioned development plan the plot is earmarked as a recreational ground RG and was leased to the club for sports activities in the late 90s Since then however the tony club has courted controversy several times for alleged illegal alterations and violations of the terms of leaseAn ad for banquet halls in a brochure from Plan Smart Events amp Hospitality Services run by BJP MLA Chainsukh Sanchetis familyThis time the family of a powerful BJP MLA is involved The club is soon to launch two large banquet halls collectively titled the Royal Halls and measuring a total of 22000 sq ft A days rent of the space amounts to a cool R10 lakh plus taxes The operational rights for the space had been handed to Plan Smart Events amp Hospitality Services a company owned by Rahul Sancheti Ranveer H Sancheti and Nisha Sancheti mdash the family members of Chainsukh Sancheti fivetime MLA from Malkapur in Buldhana district and vicepresident of BJP MaharashtraRed flags raisedActivists have raised a red flag over this arrangement alleging that NSCI was illegally subletting the premises to the company They pointed out that hosting events or commercial activities on the RG plot is in violation of civic norms As per the BMC rule book no further construction is allowed on the RG plot and the ground cannot be sublet to any individuals or companyChainsukh SanchetiHas this section of the club premises been allegedly sublet to the family members of an MLA from the ruling party to avoid action by the civic authorities asked an activist on condition of anonymity Its not just activists whove raised objections either One of BJPs own tweeted about it In connivance with the BMC officials the club is blatantly flouting the norms in name of sports Mumbai BJP secretary Vivekanand Gupta tweeted to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the state anticorruption bureauWhen midday contacted Gupta he said Whatever I have to say I mentioned in my tweet Beyond this if I have anything I will put it before the appropriate forum mdash senior BJP party leaders or BMC As it turns out Gupta has already complained against the club to the executive engineer of the Building Proposal department and assistant municipal commissioner of the Estate department A senior civic official said We are examining the violations If there are any violations we will take action according to the normsJayantilal ShahThe other sideJayantilal Shah president of NSCI claimed neither had the club favoured any individual nor did it flout rules The vendor for operating the banquet halls was selected through a proper technical and financial bidding process This was approved by the regional committee of the club he added Both Shah and MLA Chainsukh Sancheti dismissed all allegations of violations Vidarbha MLA Sancheti said Whatever we are doing is according to the law and rule bookShah added that the allegations were made with the intention of maligning the club The club got the No Objection Certificate for construction of the stadium in 2004 The first part of the OC occupation certificate was received in 20102011 and the second part was received in 2013 We have applied for another part of the OC and have accordingly submitted the relevant documents We are hopeful of receiving it at the earliest he said adding This facility is primarily for the benefit and use of the members and their guests onlyResponding to allegations that the premises had been illegally sublet for nonsport events Shah said There is not a single inch of violation This has not been sublet it is solely an operating arrangement All development is for the members and their families Everything is according to the BMC and fire brigades plans and approvalsCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates