Showing posts with label Ganesh Kusumulu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ganesh Kusumulu. Show all posts
I have shut Juhu lodging and boarding facility, Sonu Sood informs BMC
8:10 AM
Civic body and actor-turned-activist were embroiled in court battle over illegalities in structure from where he ran a boarding and lodging business
Chetna Sadadekar (MID-DAY; August 5, 2021)
Actor and social worker Sonu Sood has told BMC that he has shut down his lodging and boarding facility at Shiv Sagar building in Juhu. The BMC had asked the actor to stop the hotel business on grounds that it was a residential space. While Sood had made multiple attempts to get the business regularised, they were rejected owing to CRZ and other restrictions.
In a letter to the BMC, the actor said, “I would like to inform you that we have discontinued the activity of lodging/boarding in the existing 1st to 6th floors of the under reference building (Shiv Sagar) and henceforth the building shall be used only for residential purpose. The necessary work for addition/ alteration/restoration of the building is also under progress. However, due to the pandemic situation, there is an issue of labor shortage, hence the work is going on slowly.”
Declaring that Sood’s hotel business, spread over six floors of the Juhu apartment building, was illegal, the BMC had sent him a demolition notice in October last year. It had also been alleged that alterations to the structure had been carried out without permission. There was no action after Sood challenged it in the Bombay High Court, though he didn’t get any relief.
While Sood moved the Supreme Court, he withdrew his plea and reapplied to the BMC to get the residential building converted into a commercial space. After all his attempts failed, he agreed to stop the business and restore the business as per the cleared plans.
Activist Ganesh Kusumulu, who had complained about the illegalities, said, “This is clear enough that illegal activity was carried out in this premises and now that he has accepted that it would be cleared then we hope that the floors will be restored according to the approved plans.”
The actor told mid-day, “We have stopped the activity a long time back, and whatever little restoration is left will also be done soon.”
Juhu police yet to register FIR against actor Sonu Sood
8:01 AM
BMC writes to Juhu police, who say the FIR will be registered soon after recording the statements of both the parties
Chetna Sadadekar (MID-DAY; January 28, 2021)
Even though the Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition filed by actor Sonu Sood against a demolition notice sent by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to him, the Juhu Police are yet to register a case against him under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. When mid-day approached the cops to know the status, they said that the FIR would be registered soon after recording the statements of both the parties.
The civic body had declared the Shakti Sagar building in Juhu, which the actor has been using to run a hotel business, illegal. Sources said that Sood has been using the premises for commercial purpose and has even carried out additions and alterations to the structure without necessary permissions.
While the BMC had sent a demolition notice to the actor in October last year, action was not taken then as Sood approached the HC with a plea against it. However, earlier this month, the BMC wrote to the Juhu Police complaining about the illegality of the structure and asked them to register an FIR against the actor as the matter was cognizable under the MRTP Act.
Activist Ganesh Kusumulu, who had complained about the illegalities, said, “First the BMC delayed taking action and now the police are not acting against the actor. The cops should have registered the FIR after the BMC sent a notice, but no such thing has happened.”
Following the police complaint, the actor had approached the HC seeking justice against the BMC’s demolition notice. However, the court dismissed the petition on January 22. The activist, however, has alleged that despite the petition being dismissed by the court, the police were trying to protect the celebrity and hence no action was being taken.
Speaking to mid-day, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abhishek Trimukhe said, “We will initiate the process based on the complaint filed by the BMC and will call both parties for their statements.”
Sonu Sood slammed by BMC for converting Juhu residential into hotel
8:30 AM
Bollywood bad man, whose stock has been steadily rising, to be hit with civic violation notice after converting residential property in Juhu into six-storey hotel
Chetna Yerunkar (MID-DAY; January 26, 2019)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is mulling initiating action against actor Sonu Sood for operating a residential hotel in Juhu despite not receiving clearances from the civic body. The actor has, however, said that he is "not doing anything illegally", and the regularisation of the property in Shiv Sagar building for use as a residential hotel was under process.
BMC officials confirmed on Thursday that Sood had not yet complied with all its norms to operate a lodging and boarding facility in Shiv Sagar building in Juhu. "We have still not received an amended proposal for the property following our remarks on the initial proposal," said an official of the BMC's Building and Proposal Department.
Sood had in June 2018 made a proposal to the BP Department of BMC's K-West ward office for allowing him to convert the residential premise into a lodging and boarding facility. However, the proposal was returned by the BMC in September 2018 demanding complete compliance with its norms. The amended proposal is, however, yet to be submitted by the actor. This is also evident on the official website of the civic body that tracks such proposals.
The premises were inspected by K-West ward officials on Thursday to verify the complaints and an official, on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the lodging facility was being operated without legal licences and thus a prosecution against the actor would be initiated soon. Following Sood's proposal, the assistant engineer of BP department in September 2018 had given it a 'technical rejection', with remarks reading: "By direction, please comply instructions dated 24/09/ 2018 in proposal flow given by EEBPK and resubmit."
The building is used to operate a residential hotel without the necessary permissions, activists alleged
Instructions of the EEBP
The Executive Engineer of the Building Proposal (EEBP) department K ward mentioned that the proposal is returned due to the following reasons: (1) Survey remarks required to check road widening/setback if any, (2) Toilets are proposed in existing balconies, (3) Parking requirement and free of FSI component is as per an earlier approval for residential buildings and should be as per DCR 1967 and (4) Directives of Honorable Court for dumping must be followed.
Officials of the BP department on Friday said that they haven't received any amended proposal yet. A senior officer of the department, who did not wish to be named, said, "We had asked for compliance of several aspects pertaining to fire safety, FSI consumption and parking requirement details among others. The plot also falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone but has been approved according to the DCR 1967 (Development Control Regulations). It is definitely not something that cannot be regularised but the fresh amendments to the proposal must be made and resubmitted for approvals. According to our records, it hasn't reached us yet."
A senior civic official from K-West ward added that to run such a business, "permissions and licences from the health department are needed, which were clearly found missing during inspection." Prashant Gaikwad, the assistant municipal commissioner of K-West ward, was unavailable for comment.
'Always follow protocol'
Sonu Sood, however, maintained that he has the fire compliance in place. "I also have the necessary shops and establishment licences with me and the regularisation is already under process. There are a few more documents that the BMC needs and my architect will provide them shortly. Since it is an old building, a lot of paperwork is involved. I have been supporting the BMC and recently even got the garbage cleared from a nearby place which was turned into a dumping yard," Sood said.
"I have always followed due protocol and do things according to the rules. A miscellaneous proposal for regularisation of the restaurant is submitted to Building Proposal Bandra West MCGM under section 342. The Chief Fire Officer has also given his NOC. All relevant documents required for approval have been submitted and the proposal for regularisation is under scrutiny at the competent authority," Sood insisted.
Rooms available on websites
Civic activist Ganesh Kusumulu, who had complained to the BMC regarding this issue, said that "various violations are taking place inside this building and the K-West ward is not taking any prompt action." Kusumbu also claimed that the hotel rooms are available on several hotel booking websites for under the name 'Hotel Shakti Sagar', despite "not having its licences in place."
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