This is a letter that has been forwarded to me to help raise attention to this serious issue:
Dear Sir /Madam,
I live on the 11th Floor of Embassy Apartments, N.S. Road, right next to P.D.P and just down the road from Mont Blanc where the fire last night took the lives of atl east 6 people.
In our building the resident of the TOP FLOOR (12th), has closed the staircase and terrace with locked doors, so he may control the entire 12th floor & terrace including the landing and lobby. The Terrace on which the Water Tank is installed is also under this persons control with lock and key. Despite notices from the Fire Brigade the doors remain in place. In case of a Fire in our building, we have no place to escape, except to the terrace, and that way is closed. This danger to the safety of the residents of our building is allowed to remain because this Top Floor resident claims to be very politically connected. Even the society Managing Committee supports this barricading as he is on the committee and business associate of the society secretary.
I have been fighting the local ward office to have these doors removed for the past 3 years. They even issued a Notice to the Society & the top floor resident under section 55 of the M.R.T.P. Act (Copy enclosed). But then under political pressure from (copy of letter sent by politician to MCGM available with me) from the Top Floor, the Ward Officer gave in writing that the MRTP order will not be pursued further.
I have attached some pictures showing the barricaded staircase in our building along with this email.
As a concerned citizen of this city who is being made to run pillar to post to ensure the safety of his family in the event of a fire in my building, I write to you with a last hope that you may deem this a fit case to expose this total lackadaisical approach the MCGM has towards the safety of the citizens of Mumbai. My building is another tragedy waiting to happen.
If you would like to follow through on this story, please contact me on 9821113288. I look forward to your positive response.
Regards,
Mukul Mehra
Here is a copy of the notice served to the society and top floor resident by the local ward office:
