Redevelopment halts in Mumbai after BMC, fire brigade tiff

A row has broken out between municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta and chief fire officer P Rahangdhale over the quantum of area to be left open for fire engines to access a building. The BMC wants the fire brigade to relax the open space requirement to 6 metres for all plots from the 9 metres it has stipulated. The stalemate has resulted in Mehta stopping grant of any concession in the access area or the open space in front of a building for a fire engine to enter during a blaze. Redevelopment of housing societies on private plots has thus come to a standstill, considering that a no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire brigade is mandatory, and without which no commencement certificate (CC) can be issued.