HC suspends new constructions in Ghodbunder citing water shortage

In a major setback to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the Bombay High Court on Friday stayed the new development and construction activities in the district’s Ghodbunder road area.

The stay was imposed by a division bench presided over by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Girish Kulkarni while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting the TMC's failure to provide water to residents in the Ghodbunder Road area.

During the course of hearing, the advocate appearing for TMC filed an affidavit stating that there is enough water available.

Irked by the submissions, Chief Justice Chellur said, “One can notice that construction activities consume more quantity of potable water. The TMC cannot run away from its responsibility by filing an affidavit stating that there is enough water available.”

“There are cases of highrise buildings apart from using water for construction, no water is provided to occupants. It is nothing but the occupants are left at the mercy of the builders,” Chellur added.

Accordingly, the bench directed the TMC not to issue Occupancy Certificate (OC) to buildings which are already developed. The bench also directed the civic body not to issue Commencement Certificate (CC) to developers who desire to start up a new construction in the Ghodbunder road area.

The bench has now posted the matter for further hearing on June 9.

Interestingly, another bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka had on Thursday refused to vacate its stay on the new development and construction work in Mumbai city. However, this stay is a result of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMCs) failure to set up a solid waste processing plant.