August 29, 2025: Residents of the 17th to 34th floors of Willingdon Heights in Tardeo vacated their homes on Thursday morning, in compliance with a Bombay High Court order. The deadline to vacate expired on August 27 after the court ruled that the upper floors could not be occupied as the building lacked both a Fire NOC from the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) and an Occupation Certificate (OC) from the BMC.
A total of 27 families were affected. While some shifted to relatives’ or friends’ homes, others have taken temporary accommodation in hotels or rented flats. “We decided to vacate to avoid contempt of court,” said society secretary Arun Shivhare. “It is painful to see children and elderly residents suffer. Two families unable to afford alternate housing in Mumbai have had to return to their hometowns.”
The society submitted a fire compliance letter on August 25 and appealed for an extension, but the court declined. Residents remain hopeful that at the next hearing, scheduled for September2, they will be allowed to return once the Fire NOC is granted.
Frustrated by delays, over 50 residents staged a protest outside BMC headquarters, accusing the civic body of non-cooperation. “We are law-abiding taxpayers, not criminals,” said resident Satish Mehta. “Yet we are being made to run from pillar to post while the builder remains absent.”
The project’s developer, Satellite Holdings, has not been involved in proceedings. Its partner, Vallabh Thakkar, died years ago, and his son Hemal Thakkar has been untraceable for more than a decade, leaving residents to manage compliance themselves.
Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha has assured residents that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has instructed the BMC to expedite the OC if all requirements are met. The BMC’s Building Proposal Department, however, confirmed it has not yet received the file for scrutiny.
Source: The Free Press Journal
