Hello to all,
Hello to all,Regarding this, spotted a very interesting board in Pune, 2011 MAY 11, building construction site off Bhandarkar Road, giving some information on the proposed building.
Especially in view of these reportsIt doesn't give details like the floor plans in the site office for public inspection, minimum open space approved, parking slots, garden if any, etc., but whatever it is, its a start.Thanqx.Jagdeep DESAIArchitectSecretaryFounder TrusteeForum for Improving quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs>>>
Oshiwara tower shoots up from 17 to 44 floorsPrajakta Chavan, Hindustan Times
Mumbai, May 12, 2011First Published: 01:49 IST(12/5/2011)
Last Updated: 01:50 IST(12/5/2011)
Activist Sulaiman Bhimani obtained this information under the Right to Information Act and alleges that the plan for 44 floors was in place right from the start.
The developer, RNA Corporate, had initially planned a premium housing project with three-level parking and 14 floors for residential flats.
The new, approved plan includes a two-level basement, 11 floors of parking, a podium with gymnasium and swimming pool and 30 residential floors. The height of the building has risen from 53.2 metres to 140.8 metres.
The original approval for 17 floors was given in March 2007, after which work began. "The building excavation and foundation work commenced in 2007. Even then it was planned to be more than 40 floors," alleges Bhimani. "In July 2010, when I enquired as buyer I was shown the 44-storey plan. It means this revision was planned from the beginning."
In March 2011, the MMRDA had issued a stop-work notice after site inspection revealed that construction was not as per the approved plan.
"During the site visit, we found out that the two-level basement work had commenced without our approval, so we issued a stop-work notice. To this RNA Corporate replied that they were working as per the original plan. As there was ambiguity, we issued a second stop-work notice on April 27 and work stopped on April 28," said Dilip Kawathkar, joint director (PR), MMRDA.
Following this, the required procedure was completed and on May 5, the revised plan was approved and work started on May 6, Kawathkar said.
When asked about the increase in the number of floors, he said the developer has used the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to add to the floors. "They generated it by constructing tenements for Project Affected People and handing them over to the MMRDA. It is up to the developer to sell or use the TDR," he said.
Manoj John, vice-president of RNA Corporate, said the original plan was for 17 storeys.
We commenced work in 2007, but the recession stopped it. Then, in 2010, we amended the plan for 44 floors. We obtained the Letter of Intent in 2011 and started work. We will modify the foundation work as required for 44 floors," he said.
>>>BMC to review permission to highrise in Colaba
TNN | May 12, 2011, 08.05am ISTMUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will review permission granted to the controversial Colaba skyscraper. TOI had reported on Monday how the tower, cleared by the BMC for 15 floors, was later permitted 38 storeys after the architect/developer amended the original plan. Documents show the height of the under-construction skyscraper increased from 58 m to 158 m, more than twoand-a-half times the original height.
Civic sources said municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar asked the building proposals department to justify the 'extraordinary' concessions offered to the developer of Waterfront Tower, close to the Sassoon Docks.
The sources told TOI that Kumar ordered that no commencement certificate be sanctioned beyond the already-built parking floors till then. "Prima facie, it seems that the concessions given by the BMC could be misused in future," a senior civic official said.
The civic administration approved almost every relaxation proposed by the developer in the amended plan. Standing committee members, mainly Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party corporators , demanded an inquiry soon after TOI broke the story.
They said the commissioner should inspect permission granted to the building as well as other skyscrapers in the city.
Sources said the project, executed by four partners, including Ashok Mohnani of Ekta and Ramesh Bijlani of Supreme Universal, was cleared during the tenure of Jairaj Phatak.
The BMC had justified the increase in height of Waterfront Tower as the developer reduced the floor plate (external dimension of building) from 284 m to 178 m. The amended plans now show a basement plus greater height of stilt, a nine-level parking podium for 120 cars, girder-level , greater height of stilt, service floor and 29 upper floors, including four refuge floors.
Municipal documents show the building has a total floor space index of just 3,841 sq m.>>>'Rules bent to favour a few'
Nauzer K Bharucha, TNN | May 9, 2011, 12.24am ISTMUMBAI: Waterfront Tower near Sassoon Dockshas sprouted 23 additional floors thanks to the BMC's largesse. Although the developer, Hemant Mehta, told TOI he was constructing only 400-500 sq ft flats, a copy of the floor plan of the building shows each apartment with a carpet area of 2,891 sq ft and attached terrace spread over 1,985 sq ft.
Said Mehta, "We are constructing 69 flats of one BHK. About 30 flats have been sold at the rate of Rs 25,000 psf each. The building height increased because we asked for a 28-feet high lobby." Municipal documents show the building has a total FSI of just 3,841 sq m.
A note submitted by the executive engineer (building proposals) City II in late 2009 endorses all the concessions sought by the architect. There are provisions for duplex flats on the 18th to 23rd floors and 25th to 28th floors. "Architect has proposed double height of 7.50 m for living room of each duplex flat and requested to allow to count once in FSI instead of 1.5 times," said the note. The duplex will comprise of a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a study room, bedrooms at lower level and bedrooms along with toilets at the upper level.
"Architect has proposed stilt with greater height up to 8.53 m on ground floor...being sea side and to enhance the beauty of the building and from aesthetic point of view, he has proposed greater height of stilt. Architect has claimed this area free of FSI," added the note.
The BMC also approved nine floors of parking free of FSI "subject to registered undertaking from owner against misuse of the same and to allow area of car lifts free of FSI without charging premium..." Civic sources said that all developers are made to pay a premium for car lifts.
Another surprising feature in the BMC note is the number of swimming pools proposed by the developer. One swimming pool was proposed on stilt level of the building with a height of 8 m (25 feet). "Architect has also proposed a swimming pool on alternate floor above 18th floor with total height of 8.4 m. The swimming pool is permissible free of FSI if height of the same is up to two floors level. Architect has argued that the proposed buiding is located in the posh locality of the city (Colaba division) and this building will be a landmark, hence the same can be considered," said the note. However, Mehta said the BMC had ultimately sanctioned only one swimming pool.
The BMC note also recommended the architect's proposal to provide four refuge floors on the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th floors. This is over and above the chief fire officer's directive to provide refuge area on each floor having access through common staircase for additional safety.
The developer also procured concessions for providing "architectural features" like ornamental duct and service ducts projecting up to 1.20 m on all sides, and relaxing the open spaces surrounding the building to just 1.5 m.
A construction industry expert, not wishing to be identified, said BMC officers have bent rules to such an extent that there are no rules left for them. "If anyone approaches the BMC with even 10% of these free FSI benefits, his file will be stalled," he said. "This is the result of the development control regulations being constantly upgraded thoughtlessly as the need arises. Rules are bent to favour a few," he added.
Attachment(s) from Jagdeep DESAI
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