Click to play videoMumbai: The next time your housing society decides to allow a hoarding on the terrace, think twice.
Here’s what happened to Jaya Dhingra's kitchen: The hoarding company drilled a hole into the roof to put up a seven-tonne, 60 by 40 feet structure, and the result was an iron beam piercing Jaya's kitchen ceiling and a heap of iron framework still lie on the roof of her home.
"This has put my life in danger and caused leakage,” says Jaya.
Despite several complaints, the hoarding company did not stop the construction. Infact, Jaya and her family were pressurised by other residents not to interfere since the society would earn a good Rs 4 lakh from the hoarding.
Housing experts say hoardings on residential societies have become a huge source of revenue with earnings upto Rs 20 lakh. But compromising the safety to the residents shouldn't be an option.
Numerous letters and complaints with the local police and municipal authorities did not change anything.
It was only when Jaya took recourse to the Right To Information that she found that to procure the 15-year contract the hoarding company had violated several rules.
Since the building falls under the coastal regulation zone II, hoardings within 200 meters are not allowed. It is a 45-year old heritage structure, any repairs or construction need approval of the Mumbai Heritage Committee.
"This damage caused is illegal and should be stopped. The society can get into legal hassles," said Chairman, Maharashtra Co-op societies Association, Ramesh Prabhu.
With the monsoon just a week away and no sign of any repairs yet, Jaya fears there will be heavy leakage in her kitchen and the damage caused will have a lasting impact.
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