Civic body razes Juhu hotel's rooftop eatery
Four days after a seven-year-old boy fell to his death from Hotel Ramee Guestline’s rooftop restaurant, It's Mirchi, the municipal corporation demolished the restaurant saying it was illegal.
Four days after a seven-year-old boy fell to his death from Hotel Ramee Guestline’s rooftop restaurant, It's Mirchi, the municipal corporation demolished the restaurant saying it was illegal.
"The demolition was carried out on Wednesday. We are still inspecting the relevant documents," said R.W. Pawar, ward officer of K-West ward. The restaurant's manager could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Aditya Dube, who was playing in the Juhu restaurant on Saturday night as his family dined there, fell over the two-foot high parapet and on to the ground when some acrylic sheets below him gave way.
Officers from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said there were no signs in the dining area warning people against stepping on the sheets. Officials added that the support base under the acrylic tiles was a weak wooden frame as opposed to the iron grills usually used.
Twenty-five labourers demolished the 329-sq-m temporary extension that housed the dining area and kitchen. The BMC said the restaurant had no licence and the temporary shed had been constructed in violation of civic rules.
"The demolition of the roof of the first floor terrace is going on and will continue on Thursday," Pawar said. A civic official said the BMC is also contemplating legal action against the restaurant under the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act for violating several norms.The rooftop restaurant was served a notice in 2009 and was demolished once.
On May 17 and July 6 last year, inspections by the BMC's health department revealed that the restaurant was functioning with an expired licence. The restaurant was 18 months old but the violations came to light only after Aditya's fatal fall.