Santacruz residents contest eviction over building classification

Residents of DSouza Mansion in Santacruz East are facing eviction as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has deemed their building dilapidated and marked for demolition. On March 11, the BMC served an evacuation notice, which follows a previous demolition notice issued on February 5. However, the residents argue that their building is not in such poor condition. The situation has worsened for the residents, who have been without electricity and water since March 11. Many are now relying on a generator for basic needs. Elderly residents, including 81-year-old Mary Fernandez, have expressed their distress and fear of losing their homes. They are struggling to live without basic utilities in the hot weather. Dennis D’Souza, a resident, insists that multiple structural audits, including the most recent one in 2023, have deemed the building stable and repairable, categorized as C2B. He highlights discrepancies in the BMC’s earlier assessments and claims that the audits were conducted by the same individual working for different companies. Historically, the building has a complicated background involving a builder who allegedly manipulated property ownership. After a series of legal battles since the early 2000s, the residents continue to contest the BMC’s findings and have even filed a forgery case against the original builder. Despite the residents' efforts and another legal appeal filed to prevent demolition, the situation remains precarious. A lawyer representing the builder argues that the BMC must act to demolish what has been classified as a dilapidated structure, dismissing the residents' audits.