Mumbai: BMC team inspects Narayan Rane's bungalow in Juhu

Mumbai: Union Minister Narayan Rane’s Juhu bungalow, Adhish, was inspected on Monday by a team of nine officers from the BMC’s K-West ward. Prior to the inspection, the team, led by assistant municipal commissioner Prithviraj Chouhan, visited the Santacruz police station to seek adequate security. Both Rane and his elder son Nilesh were present at the time of inspection.

As per guidelines, the phones of the team were switched off, and they took photographs and carried out measurements. Before charting a future course of action, the BMC will compare the structural changes with the actual plan.

The inspection followed last Friday’s notice to Rane by the civic body’s building and factory department under section 68 of the Mumbai Municipal Act, 1888. The BMC’s action came after RTI activist Santosh Daundkar filed a reminder complaint, alleging that the civic body hadn’t taken any action on his previous complaints regarding illegal construction at Adhish. Rane’s bungalow has been in the news for the last few years over alleged illegalities. Daundkar said that he had filed a complaint as the bungalow was constructed in violation of the Coastal Regulations Zone (CRZ) norms.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Monday said, “This is not a new matter. Narayan Rane himself has said that the BMC had visited the bungalow four years ago. Hence, the BMC is just doing its job and we are certain that Rane will cooperate with the BMC.”

Nitesh Rane, who was in Sindhudurg district while speaking to media, said, “It is true that we have got a notice and a team of BMC officials have reached our bungalow in Juhu. We will cooperate with the BMC.”

Rane had addressed a press conference over the notice on Saturday, claiming that there were no illegalities in construction. He had said, “We shifted here in 2009, and I was also issued an occupation certificate by the BMC.”