MUMBAI: Mhada has declared a building in Girgaum Chowpatty that has housed Crystal restaurant since 1966 as dilapidated and dangerous and has asked all its tenants to vacate. This means the iconic restaurant, known for its north Indian fare, would have to shut shop.
The nine tenants, though, claim the building is not dilapidated and can be repaired.
A section of tenants moved the city civil court on Tuesday to seek a stay on the eviction notice.
Mhada has listed the building number 31C-33 on A R Rangnekar Marg in the C1 category, which means a structure that is dilapidated beyond repair.
The tenants then got their own structural audit carried out, which said it was in the C2B category; this means it can be repaired. Crystal is housed in building 33 along with other commercial units.
“You are aware that the building has been declared as the most dangerous building in 2020-2021. In view of the dilapidated and dangerous condition of the building, this office has requested to vacate the premises by shifting into alternate accommodation immediately. However you have not vacated your premises also. If you ignore the instructions and continue to reside in the building and if any untoward incident/mishap takes place in the building, then you will be held responsible for the same,” stated the Mhada notice issued last week.
Satish Barot, a tenant, and a few others moved the civil court. The tenants said since there were two structural audit reports, Mhada should refer the matter to a technical committee. “We had got our own structural audit report done which clearly said the building is in the C2B category. We have represented Mhada about this already and hope it will consider it. Mhada has sent us an estimated repair cost of around Rs 9 lakh and then in two years it has escalated to Rs 55 lakh,” said Sanjay Mehra who owns Crystal.
Vinod Ghosalkar, chairman, Mhada’s Mumbai Repair and Reconstruction Board, did not respond to calls from TOI.
