A 22-storey luxury residential tower in Bandra’s Turner Road has come under the scrutiny of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) over alleged deviations from its approved building plans. The redevelopment project, now known as Palmera, stands on the site of the former bungalow of veteran actor Mala Sinha.
The SRA issued a notice to developer NVK Realty LLP on October 6 under Sections 53(1) and 53(2) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966. It directed the developer to restore the seventh to 12th floors in accordance with the sanctioned plans within a month, warning of possible prosecution for non-compliance.
The alleged violations were identified during an inspection on September 30, following a Right to Information application filed by activist Santosh Daundkar around six months earlier. According to the approved plan dated September 12, 2023, six floors were designated for permanent transit camp (PTC) tenements to be handed over to the SRA after completion.
A senior SRA official confirmed the action, stating, “The developer altered the units in Bandra without approval. Hence, we issued the notice,” while highlighting Mumbai’s need for at least two lakh PTC units to accommodate people displaced by road widening, railway upgrades and Metro construction.
The case has also raised concerns over Regulation 33(11) of the Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2034, which allows developers to receive additional floor space index (FSI) in exchange for constructing transit accommodation. Under the rules, permissible FSI can range from three to four, depending on road width. Developers may also seek approval to meet their obligations at another location by paying a prescribed premium.
Activist and advocate Y P Singh questioned the arrangement, saying, “The irony of Regulation 33(11) is that, although the building is meant for sale, it is treated as a rehabilitation building during construction. This enables the developer to claim additional FSI and concessions, including reduced open spaces and garden areas, which are otherwise associated with SRA schemes. The transit camp obligation can subsequently be fulfilled in another building,” Singh said.
NVK Realty said it had received the notice and would address the matter. Project manager Viren Shah said, “We have received the SRA’s MRTP notice just today. Our architect is handling the matter with the SRA. We have been told it is a minor compliance issue, and we will address it and submit the compliance.”
Daundkar alleged that such practices could benefit developers while affecting public revenue and infrastructure capacity. He said he would approach the court if the practice continued.
The SRA has also put a separate application by NVK Realty to club a Letter of Intent on hold until the developer complies with the October 6 notice. Turner Road remains one of Mumbai’s premium residential locations, with property prices ranging from Rs 70,000 to Rs 1 lakh per square foot.
Source: Hindustan Times
