Mumbai: In yet another controversy of buildings being constructed in the vicinity of defence installations, the Bombay High Court yesterday ordered an interim stay on further sale of apartments in an 18-storey building in central Mumbai, after the Indian Navy opposed the high rise since it stood close to a naval base.
The Western Naval Command had filed a public interest litigation in the high court against Harsiddhi Heights in Worli in November 2010 and wanted it demolished since it had not obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Navy. Naval authorities said the building faced the navy's missile base, INS Trata, and therefore posed a security threat.
"The building is just 57 metres from the naval base, INS Trata, a portion of which has sensitive missiles and launchers," said Dinesh Shah, advocate for the navy. "According to rules laid down by the state government, a NOC has to be procured from the navy for any construction within 300 metres of the base."
A division bench of Justices D K Deshmukh and N D Deshpande yesterday directed the builder to submit a list of all the present occupants of the building. The next hearing is scheduled after a fortnight.
The navy's petition states that a seven-storey building under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) Scheme has also been constructed in the vicinity even though the Urban Development Department had issued a letter to the SRA to stop work in September 2008. The petition alleged that the builders Rajshree Constructions and developers Prithvi Corporation are in connivance with the SRA and in conjunction with some influential persons are able to exert influence on SRA authorities.
The petition stated that the building had an unrestricted view of the naval base and its activities.
The Western Naval Command had filed a public interest litigation in the high court against Harsiddhi Heights in Worli in November 2010 and wanted it demolished since it had not obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Navy. Naval authorities said the building faced the navy's missile base, INS Trata, and therefore posed a security threat.
"The building is just 57 metres from the naval base, INS Trata, a portion of which has sensitive missiles and launchers," said Dinesh Shah, advocate for the navy. "According to rules laid down by the state government, a NOC has to be procured from the navy for any construction within 300 metres of the base."
A division bench of Justices D K Deshmukh and N D Deshpande yesterday directed the builder to submit a list of all the present occupants of the building. The next hearing is scheduled after a fortnight.
The navy's petition states that a seven-storey building under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) Scheme has also been constructed in the vicinity even though the Urban Development Department had issued a letter to the SRA to stop work in September 2008. The petition alleged that the builders Rajshree Constructions and developers Prithvi Corporation are in connivance with the SRA and in conjunction with some influential persons are able to exert influence on SRA authorities.
The petition stated that the building had an unrestricted view of the naval base and its activities.
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