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The Bombay High Court has questioned the BMC’s shifting stance on Mehta Mahal, a commercial building near Opera House on Charni Road. A 2021 audit rated the building as C2B, meaning it needed urgent repairs but was safe for occupants. Later, an IIT-Bombay report labelled it C1, recommending demolition, prompting the BMC to issue notices before admitting the downgrade was due to miscommunication. The court criticised the inconsistent classifications and asked the civic commissioner to review all records and explain the decisions. A hearing on January 14, 2026, will determine next steps, highlighting broader concerns about clarity and accountability in Mumbai’s building safety system.
The Bombay High Court has raised serious concerns over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) inconsistent position regarding Mehta Mahal, a commercial building located near Opera House on Charni Road in Mumbai. In 2021, a structural audit conducted by BMC’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) classified the building as “C2B,” indicating it required urgent repairs but was safe enough for tenants to continue living or working there. Based on this rating, the civic body allowed repair work without any eviction. Advertisement
Later, a report from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) flagged Mehta Mahal as dangerous and recommended it be classified as “C1,” which would require demolition and tenant evacuation. Following this, the BMC issued notices for potential demolition. However, the civic body later admitted that the C1 classification was caused by miscommunication and reverted the building back to C2, allowing repairs to continue instead of demolition.
The High Court noted that the BMC’s repeated changes in stance suggest the civic body has been “adopting shifting stands for reasons best known to it.” The court directed the civic commissioner to conduct a detailed review of all records, clarify the rationale behind each classification, and, if necessary, seek explanations from TAC and the officers responsible for these assessments. A fresh hearing is scheduled for January 14, 2026, to examine the findings and next steps for the building.
Mehta Mahal, an old commercial structure in central Mumbai, has been under observation for years due to structural concerns. Previous assessments suggested that minor repairs could extend the building’s usability. However, the conflicting reports in recent years have highlighted procedural lapses within the civic administration, raising questions about accountability and clarity in Mumbai’s building safety processes.
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