The Mumbai Repairs and Reconstruction Board (MRRB) has issued a ‘Stop Work Notice’ to Satra Property Developers Pvt Ltd and Firstwave Developers LLP, who are undertaking one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the city. While Satra Property has received the NOC from the Board, the construction is being carried out by Firstwave. The property in question is the Mahavir Building, a sprawling commercial-cum-residential complex next to the Matunga Post Office on Bhandarkar Road, Matunga (East). The project is for the redevelopment of 5,560 sq mtrs and the number of shopkeepers and tenants number more than 200.
Vide its order dated October 11, 2023, the Board has asked the redeveloper to immediately pay the rent for the past 35 months, which has not been paid to several original occupants. Pending that, the builder has been asked to cease all construction activity on the site.
Firstwave had vide its letter dated August 7, 2023 informed the Board that Shri Rajan Nambiar and other tenants had been asked to sign the permanent alternate accommodation agreement with it and collect the cheques towards outstanding rent upto April, 2023. However, instead of collecting the cheques the tenants had complained to the Board, Firstwave claimed. However, advocate N. Ramachandran, who appeared for the affected tenants informed the Board during a hearing held by it that the developer had ``neither executed permanent alternate accommodate agreements nor paid the rent since the last 35 months due to which the tenants are facing financial problems."
The Board observed that vide a Show Cause Notice issued on February 15, 2023 the builder has been directed to comply with the order passed by Bombay high court dated November 3, 2021 and execute the permanent alternate accommodation agreement with the tenants and pay the outstanding rent. However, the builder did not comply with the order. Hence the Board had stayed the operation of the NOC granted for the redevelopment and ``stop all activities for construction of the sale component" of the property. Sale component is a reference to flats which the builder can sell to outsiders after rehabilitating old tenants.
The order has been signed by Arun Dongre, chief officer of the Board.
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