‘Issue notice FOR WALL to Ambani or BMC’

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) committee and the administration have difference of opinion over the common wall between BEST staff quarters and Antilia — industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s home at Altamount Road.

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) committee and the administration have difference of opinion over the common wall between BEST staff quarters and Antilia — industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s home at Altamount Road.

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The issue came up at the committee’s meeting on Wednesday. The committee asked the administration to issue a notice to either the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) or Ambani for allegedly violating the norms.

BEST members alleged that the 6-metre tall iron beam on the common wall between Antilia and the three buildings of BEST staff quarters was illegal. They demanded that Ambani remove the iron beam.

But BEST general manager OP Gupta said the structure was legal and the undertaking had taken Rs10.63 lakh as a penalty or compensation from Ambani. “There is no harm to the BEST land because it is not physically occupied (by Ambani).”

Sanjay Potnis, chairman of the BEST committee, objected to charging penalty for regularising the violation. “On what basis did our administration accept the money? We have asked the administration to send letter either to the civic body or Ambani, conveying the objection and that they should remove the iron beams as and when asked by the BEST."

Ambani’s official spokesperson refused to comment.

In November 2010, the BEST committee member, Suhas Samant, had objected to the construction of the common compound wall and the 6-meter tall iron beam as it had blocked view of the BEST staff members’ flats.