BMC Registers FIR Against 27 Residents for Unauthorised Construction in Flats

In a strict enforcement move, the BMC has filed an FIR against 27 residents of Mangesh Co-operative Housing Society in Kurla East for unauthorised structural changes in their flats. Despite multiple notices issued since 2020, no action was taken by the residents, prompting BMC officials to register the case under Section 53(7) of the MRTP Act.

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In a significant crackdown on unauthorised construction, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has filed an FIR against 27 residents of Mangesh Co-operative Housing Society in Kurla East, Mumbai. The FIR, registered at Nehru Nagar Police Station on June 13, 2025, accuses the residents of illegal modifications and extensions to their flats in violation of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 1966.

The complaint was filed by Karan Kumar Bapurao Animwar, Assistant Commissioner of the BMC’s East Suburbs Engineering Department. According to the complaint, the unauthorised alterations were carried out across several wings of the housing society, located in Kamgar Nagar, barely 1 km from the police station.

🔍 Details of Violations

The accused residents allegedly carried out a range of structural changes, including:

Illegal extension of balconies and front entrances
Construction of mezzanine floors and additional roofs
Conversion of open spaces into kitchens and toilets
Elevation of compound walls and terraces beyond approved norms

All the alterations were executed without any permission or sanction from the BMC, violating development control regulations and sanctioned building plans.

🏢 Timeline of Enforcement Action

Between June 2020 and April 2025, the BMC conducted multiple inspections and served notices under Section 53(1) of the MRTP Act, asking the residents to remove the unauthorised constructions.
Despite repeated warnings, no corrective action was taken by the residents.
Following continued non-compliance, a proposal was submitted to take legal action under Section 53(7) of the MRTP Act.
On receiving internal approvals, the FIR was formally registered.

👮 Legal Proceedings and Investigation

The First Information Report (FIR No. 0261) has been lodged under Section 53(7), which provides for penal action in cases of non-removal of unauthorised development even after notice.
The case has been handed over to PSI Arun Pushkar Kendre of Nehru Nagar Police Station for further investigation.
All 27 accused have been named in the FIR with flat and building details clearly mentioned.

🧾 Impact and Implications

This action marks one of the few instances where such a large group of individual flat owners have faced legal action collectively for violations within a single housing society. It reflects the BMC’s stricter stance on illegal construction and a push for greater compliance in residential colonies.

Sources within the BMC suggest that more such actions may follow as the civic body intensifies its enforcement drive against unauthorised construction in suburban Mumbai.

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