The Maharashtra government has given a 15-day ultimatum to Taj Mahal Hotel in South Mumbai to pay the outstanding amount of nearly Rs. 7 crore to the city’s municipal corporation for barricading the footpath near the luxury hotel for security reasons.
Mumbai Police gave permission to barricade the footpath surrounding the plush hotel as a security measure after the hotel was targeted during the 26/11 attacks, Minister of State for Home Ranjit Patil said in the Legislative Council.
The hotel was asked to pay Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) for barricading the footpath, which it failed to pay.
“Five-star hotels, cinema halls and private companies encroach footpaths and roads around them that causes severe inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicles plying on roads,” Patil said.
NCP MLC Hemant Takle then asked about discrepancies in charging Taj hotel and Trident hotel, which is also located in South Mumbai, for barricading the footpath outside their hotels.
While replying to Takle, Patil said, “Security for these hotels is a sensitive issue. Taj has occupied 1,386 sq mt area, whereas Trident occupied 59 sq mtr and MCGM has accordingly charged the hotels.”
Taj hotel is yet to pay the outstanding amount of nearly Rs. 7 crore and the government gives them an ultimatum of 15 days to pay the outstanding amount, Patil said.
Trident hotel had an outstanding amount of Rs. 16,09,920, of which it has paid Rs. 14,76,000, he said.
Patil was replying to a calling attention motion raised by Congress MLC Anant Gadgil.
PWP MLC Jayant patil, while support the calling attention motion pointed out that about 511 vehicles get registered in Mumbai everyday.
“What are the measures that the government is taking for the parking of these vehicles?” he questioned.
In his reply, Patil said that the government is yet to come up with a parking policy for Mumbai and added that the government will come up with a similar policy for other cities as well if local municipal corporations submit their proposals to the government.
