No Malabar bungalow for Sena Mayor: GAD

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) -led state government General Administration Department (GAD) of Maharashtra has put water on Shiv Sena's dream to acquire Malabar Hill bungalow for Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar.

The GAD has sent a letter to BMC stating that one of the civic additional commissioner Vijay Singhal is residing in state government's bungalow therefore, it will be inappropriate to ask the state government officer Pravin Darade, husband of former Mumbai municipal corporation Additional Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Pallavi Darade to vacate the Malabar hill civic bungalow. Also, the letter further states henceforth, no notice should be issued to Darade asking them to vacate the bungalow.

The Sena corporators are trying hard to get back the Bungalow for Mayor's residence and also putting pressure on BMC administration to vacate the bungalow immediately. Mayor Mahadeswar himself showed his willingness for the Mal- abar Hill bungalow. While, he also rejected the Byculla Zoo bungalow provided by civic corporation stating its not an ideal place for Mayor's residence because Mayor keeps hosting events which cannot be done in a silence zone.

Currently the Malabar hill bungalow is being occupied by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) former Additional Municipal Commissioner (AMC) Pallavi Darade who is being posted to Food and Drugs Department of the Maharashtra state. Sena is of the argument that the posh Malabar hill bungalow is of BMC's water department ownership therefore, Darade who is now working in state government authority has no right to occupy the bungalow. Meanwhile Mahadeswar reacted on the state government letter and said Sena was asking a reply from several months from BMC about the bungalow however, the civic administration did not disclose any information like they have received any such letter. Also, the state government should not take the control of BMC's property, sending such letter by GAD is wrong.