BMC Issues Stop-Work Notice At Ajay Devgn’s Juhu Bungalow; Here's Why

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has served a stop-work notice on actor Ajay Devgn’s Juhu bungalow in Kapole Co-operative Housing Society after the property came under scrutiny over plans to run a salon and spa there, reported Mumbai Mirror. The civic body stated that the K-West ward has not cleared the premises for commercial activity. The notice came after ward officials asked the owners for documents following a complaint from the housing society.

The Devgn family has asked for four weeks to file its response.

The issue had earlier drawn attention when Mumbai Mirror reported this month that residents were concerned after the Devgns rented out a property in the society for a spa.

Society complaint background

Kapole Co-operative Housing Society first objected to the plan and wrote to the Devgns asking for papers showing that the premises could be used lawfully for the proposed salon and spa.

The society stated that it got neither the papers nor a reply. That led it to pursue the complaint first in the cooperative system and later before the civic authorities.

Deputy Registrar Faiyaz Mulani has opened proceedings on the society's complaint in the cooperative department, and the Devgn side has sought time there too.

Ward and lease details

The property at the centre of the row is Ajay Devgn’s 7,802 sq ft bungalow at Plot S-10, N S Road No 11, JVPD Scheme.

“K-West ward has not granted any permission for commercial use of the S-10 premises. After receiving the society’s complaint, we sought the relevant documents from the property owners and, as the required permissions were not produced, a stop-work notice was issued,” a K-West ward official said.

Florian Hurel Salons Pvt Ltd has taken the 7,802 sq ft bungalow on a five-year lease under a registered leave-and-licence agreement dated August 10. Rent begins at Rs 16 lakh a month in the first year and rises 5% each year, putting the total estimated value of the deal at Rs 10.61 crore over the full term.

NOC and permissions

The dispute is about use, not tenancy. Kapole says the society is residential only and has asked whether the bungalow can host a salon and spa without the needed civic and statutory clearances.

The Devgn camp has rejected any claim that approvals are missing. Ruchi Kanojiya, chief legal and compliance officer at the Devgn Group, said that “the requisite permissions and approvals from the concerned authorities in relation to the proposed use of the premises have been duly obtained.”

The society’s then authorised officer issued an NOC on July 22 saying it had no objection to Veena Virendra Devgan and Vishal alias Ajay Devgan leasing the bungalow to Florian Hurel Salons Private Limited. The paper does not give clear approval to convert the home into a business address. It leaves the owners to obtain the required government and statutory clearances, and the society said a lease NOC cannot be treated as permission for commercial use.

Regulatory proceedings

The cooperative department had already been involved before the stop-work notice was issued. On the earlier dispute, Mulani said, “We have no knowledge of any application concerning the plot. The society has opposed commercial use. We will issue notice, conduct a hearing and make a decision.”

On September 8, the society moved the BMC under Section 43 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act and sought an inspection. It also asked for action under Sections 52 to 54 if officials found violations.

The society wanted the BMC to check three things: whether rules permit a salon, whether a change-of-user sanction exists and whether the current Occupation Certificate extends to the proposed activity. It also asked the civic body to examine approvals for structural changes, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, access, parking, signage and fire safety. Before any regularisation or post-facto approval, it wants a hearing.

Residents have raised concerns about heavier footfall, parking, security and noise on the narrow internal roads. Kapole has 32 bungalow plots and is home to Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Kajol, and author Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi.