mst 1 WP.1546.2010 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 1546 OF 2010 WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO.526 OF2010 IN WRIT PETITION NO.1546 OF 2010 Reliable Investment and Developers & ors. Petitioners versus Maharashtra Housing and Area Development authority and two others Respondents Mr.E.P.Bharucha, Sr.Adv. with A.B.Kapadia i/by M/s.D.F. & Divan for petitioners. Mr.G.W.Mattos, AGP for respondent nos.1 and 2. Mr.D.A.Joseph i/by M/s.David Associates for respondents 6, 7 and 13. Mr.C.S.Balsara i/by Rajiv Jadhav for respondent nos.11 and 14. CORAM : MOHIT S. SHAH, C.J. AND DR. D.Y. CHANDRACHUD, J. DATE : 29th September 2010 P. C. : 1. By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners, who are claiming to be the owners of building known as Devji Kanji Building situate at 75, Chandanwadi, Mumbai, seek directions against respondent Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (hereinafter referred to as "MHADA" for short) to accept the payment made bythe mst 2 WP.1546.2010 petitioners and to forthwith commence the repair work of the said building. The petitioners have also prayed to prohibit the respondent authorities from proceeding further with the allotment of the No Objection Certificate ("NOC" for short) in respect of the repairs of the said building to the tenants/occupants of the said building. In fact, the petitioners have challenged the No Objection Certificate dated 23rd April 2010/23rd July 2010 issued in favour of the occupants. The proposal made by the occupants of the said building on the basis of said NOC has been rejected by the Municipal Corporation on 24th September 2010. 2. In view of the order that we propose to pass, it is not necessary to set out all the facts in detail or to set out the rival contentions of the parties, because the order that we propose to pass, will be without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties and the controversy which some of the occupants have sought to raise about the ownership of the building by the present petitioners. 3. Mr.Mattos, learned counsel appearing for MHADA under instructions states that the MHADA has already prepared plans for the repairs to be carried out to the building in question and that the proposed repairs are estimated to cost about Rs.77.00 lakhs (Rs.Seventy seven lakh only) approximately. It is submitted that the MHADA will commence the work of repairs after the petitioners deposit the same amount of Rs.77.00 lakh with MHADA.. 4. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners under mst 3 WP.1546.2010 instructions states that the petitioners will deposit by tomorrow the balance amount over and above the amount already paid by them to MHADA so as to make it total sum of Rs.77.00 lakhs. 5. The learned counsel for respondent nos.6, 7 and 13 submits that no equity should be created in favour of petitioners by virtue of deposit of Rs.77.00 lakh, as according to his clients, they do not admit the petitioner's title to the property in question. 6. Learned counsel for respondent nos.11 and 14 has no objection to the MHADA carrying out the repairs at the costs to be paid by the petitioners. 7. Though served, none appears for respondent nos.5, 8, 9, 10 and 12. 8. In our view, the presence of respondent no.3 is not necessary for the purposes of giving appropriate directions in the light of the submissions made by the learned counsel for the parties who have appeared before us. 9. Having regard to the submissions made by learned counsel for MHADA and learned counsel for petitioners, we dispose of this petition with a direction that the MHADA shall carry out the work of repairs of building known as "Devji Kanji Building" situate at 75, Chandanwadi, Mumbai-400 002 by 30th April 2010 subject to the condition that the petitioners pay the MHADA a total sum of Rs. 77.00 lakhs (Rs.Seventy seven lakh only), including the amount already paid by them to MHADA so far within one week from mst 4 WP.1546.2010 today. 10. The learned counsel appearing for MHADA states that upon the petitioners' paying the entire amount of Rs.77.00 lakhs as indicated above for the repairs to the building in question, there will be no enhancement in the repair cess on the occupants of the building including the petitioners. The statement is accepted. We make it clear that neither the petitioners nor any of the respondents/occupants of the residential/commercial units of the said building shall obstruct the repair work to be carried out by the MHADA.. 11. We may also note that the above directions are required to be given notwithstanding the objections raised by respondent nos.6, 7 and 13, because according to the MHADA, the portion of the building in question is in dilapidated condition and an urgent action is required to be taken by MHADA.. 12. It is further clarified that all the decisions in the process shall be taken by MHADA and neither the petitioners nor the respondents shall interfere with the decision taken by MHADA.. 13. The writ petition as well as Notice of Motion are disposed of in above terms. CHIEF JUSTICE DR. D.Y.CHANDRACHUD, J.