Corporator Dr. Safalta Ambatkar alleged of illegal construction; lady refutes charges

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IMG_7821Nagpur News.

Corporator of ward no. 17 in Dhantoli zone Dr. Safalta Ambatkar, who is also a professional doctor, has been alleged of carrying out construction of her hospital building in sheer violation of norms. Sources said Dr. Ambatkar has taken advantage of election code of conduct and illegally got the building of her upcoming Dr Safalta Ambatkar Hospital erected in violation of FSI norms. The nearby residents also alleged that Dr. Ambatkar has tampered with the NMC’s sewer line in order to facilitate her under construction building, causing great deal of inconvenience to the neighborhood. However, Dr. Ambatkar denied the allegations, claiming that the building has been contructed without flouting or twisting any rules. She informed that the construction has been going on for the last two years.

Renowned pediatrician Dr Uday Bodhankar whose residence is just behind the building has brought the glitch to the knowledge of NMC authorities who, he said, are moving too slow in initiating the action. Talking to Nagpur Today, Dr Bodhankar said, “I have spoken to the NMC Engineer, Dhantoli Zone, Morwane who said that the civic authorities have penalized Dr. Ambatkar with Rs 25 lakh without depositing which she would not be able to take the construction forward.” He also alleged that Dr. Ambatkar has encroached upon the sewer line and also flouted the norms by constructing six floors whereas the permission has been given for not more than two floors.

IMG_7817Countering the claim Dr Safalta Ambatkar told Nagpur Today, “I have not flouted any norm. I am currently residing in that building on the ground floor and just to make the temporary outlet of my washrooms, I have connected it to the main sewer line through our chamber. We will make permanent arrangement for this once the building is completed”

Clarifying further, she said, “The construction has been carried out as per DCR norms. The side margin has been left on all the four sides.” As far flouting floor norms, she said, “For this TDR has been loaded to this building and I have received the demand from NMC Commissioner.”

She also refuted the allegation of penalty of Rs 25 lakh for the illegal construction saying, “It is not the penalty but the demand which has been sent to me. I will soon pay this amount and finish the construction,” she added.

She however admitted, “Though we have raised the height of the boundary a little, it is done to avoid any nuisance to the nearby residents.”

Sources said that NMC’s Dhantoli Zone Office has been not taking any cognizance of complaints lodged by Dr Suniti Bodhankar. An NMC official, on the condition of anonymity, said since the Corporator belongs to Ruling Party, no official is willing to take action against Dr Ambatkar. The official further said the upgraded map of the building has not been sanctioned by the concerned authorities but still the Corporator is going ahead in the construction work, sources said.

Meanwhile, sources said NMC’s sewage line has been laid just behind the building. They alleged that Dr Ambatkar, in an utter disregard to the norms, constructed the slab of the building right over the sewage line, too. It simply means, if the sewage line caves in due to pressure of the slab, Dhantoli locality would be in the grip of severe sewage crisis like choking and foul smell. But the Corporator shrewdly covered her building premises with cement concrete and diverted the sewage to neighbouring Dr Bodhankar’s building premises limits, sources said.