Mumbai: The BMC has said it hasn’t taken over a portion of land from actor Amitabh Bachchan’s Pratiksha bungalow plot as it does not have a contractor in place for the road-widening project.

In a report submitted to Lokayukta Justice V M Kanade, the BMC has said it does not have a road contractor for widening the Juhu road and so it will take over a portion of the bungalow land and demolish the compound wall in the next financial year when a road contractor is appointed for the purpose.

Congress corporator Tulip Miranda had complained to Maharashtra Lokayukta that the BMC had failed to take over the land from Bachchan for road widening since 2017. A hearing on the complaint was held on Friday.

“A notice was given for the bungalow plot in 2017 under Section 299 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. There was some issue about the exact demarcation of the road line, so a fresh survey was conducted by land record officials in 2019. The final demarcation was received in July 2021. Amitabh Bachchan will have to give up 230 square metres of land and the compound wall will have to be moved by 2 to 3 metres. The open space of the bungalow and security cabin will be affected in this acquisition,” said Prithviraj Chavan, assistant municipal commissioner, K-West Ward, in his report to the Lokayukta.

“We had asked the roads department if they have a contractor in place for road widening. They said they don’t have one now and they will take up road widening in the next financial year. Since there is no road contractor available, we will take further action after one is appointed,” Chavan said in the report.

Miranda said, “In 2019, the BMC demolished the boundary wall of a building’s premises adjoining Bachchan’s bungalow, taking over a part of the land for road widening. However, the compound of the Pratiksha bungalow was left untouched. Waiting for a contractor before land acquisition for road widening is unheard of. The Lokayukta has not accepted the BMC’s report and has asked for a response from the additional municipal commissioner at the next hearing in January.”

Bachchan did not respond to a query from TOI.

In 2017, the actor’s family was asked to surrender a portion of the land from Pratiksha, off Linking Road, Juhu, along with owners of neighbouring plots.