The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has officially declared the explanation provided by an assistant engineer from its H-West ward regarding alleged false certification of road widths in Bandra West as unsatisfactory and without justification. This development follows a complaint that the false documentation was created to benefit a private developer undertaking a redevelopment project in the area.
Details of the Alleged Irregularity
According to the complaint, the civic engineer falsely certified the widths of two crucial roads. The official records were manipulated to show Gaothan road as 6 metres wide and Boran road as 9 metres wide. However, a physical inspection revealed the actual measurements to be significantly less: only 4.4 metres for Gaothan road and 7.4 metres for Boran road. This discrepancy is critical, as road width directly impacts the permissible Floor Space Index (FSI), building height, and eligibility for redevelopment projects under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034.
Unsatisfactory Response and Official Action
Following the complaint, the assistant commissioner of the H-West ward issued a show-cause notice to the concerned assistant engineer, directing him to submit a detailed explanation. Municipal officials have now stated that the ward officer found the engineer's submitted response to be incomplete, lacking credible evidence, and failing to address the specific lapses mentioned in the notice. The explanation did not provide any mitigating circumstances.
Officials emphasized that the engineer was given adequate opportunity but still failed to furnish a satisfactory and reasoned justification. Earlier, the engineer had claimed that the road status remark was issued a year and a half ago and that the current reduced width was due to encroachments. He also stated that the Building Proposal department had been informed and that the builder was not receiving any undue benefits.
Activist's Demand for Full-Fledged Inquiry
Activist Santosh Daundkar, who filed the complaint and brought the issue to light, has demanded a comprehensive investigation. He has called for the cancellation of the Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) granted to the developer based on the false certification.
"The fire brigade, too, should review the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given for the project," Daundkar added. He highlighted that under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, a minimum road width is mandatory for fire-fighting vehicle access, making the false certification a potential safety hazard.
Daundkar's complaint pointed to specific documents, including the road status remarks issued on July 8, 2014, and the Development Plan (DP) remarks from September 17, 2024, which noted that there is no proposed or sanctioned Reservation of Land (RL). The activist alleges the report was deliberately crafted to favour the developer.
