The Bachchan family has been dragged into a fresh controversy for its involvement in a shopping mall project being built adjacent to the metro carshed in DN Nagar, Andheri (west). The mall is being constructed in violation of BMC rules.
Accusing the BMC of being hand-in-glove with builders, former IPS officer Y.P. Singh has alleged that permission for the construction of the shopping mall was given after setting aside many rules.
He also accused Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan of giving crores of rupees for the mall — constructed by Ecstasy Realty Private Ltd. — without due diligence, and has asked them to come clean on the issue.
The said land admeasuring around 34 acres, had been reserved for a sewerage plant, recreational ground and home for the displaced. But in 2005, following a notification, this land was de-reserved for the Metro carshed, with a buffer zone of 30 metres around the periphery of this land.
Procuring the documents in a press conference, Mr Singh alleged that the mall is being built inside the buffer zone, which was earmarked for a tree plantation to avoid noise pollution.
Mr Singh said, “BMC officials completely ignored provisions of development planning and the sanctity of buffer zones, and gave the nod.”
Mr Singh also sent a legal notice to the BMC, but no action was taken. He has also filed a complaint to the ACB in this regard.
Addressing the conference, Abha Singh also dragged Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan for giving loans, without checking the credentials of the project. She said, “Though we cannot say that the Bachchan family gave the loan to a real estate firm to build the mall, it is now clear that the mall is being built on illegal ground. The Bachchan family must take the loan back and ask the BMC to demolish the partly-constructed mall…the family is known for its good work in the society, so it should wash it hands of the issue.”
According to the Singhs, while Amitabh gave a loan of `2.7 crore, Jaya gave `5.32 crore to Shobhit Rajan, who owns this firm.
When contacted, Ecstasy Realty Private Ltd firm, in a statement, said that it had not violated any norms.
Clarifying on the loans given by the Bachchan family, the firm said that the Bachchans had bought apartments from Ecstasy, and there was nothing illegal in the process.