High Court tells BBMP to act

L N Murthy of Kengeri had filed a PIL stating a building on Millers Road in Vasanthnagar with eight floors was being converted into a hospital by Vikram Hospital Private Limited.  The petitioner stated that the building violated all byelaws and the floor area ratio (FAR) was not in accordance with the requirements.

He alleged that there was no adequate car parking and would contribute to a traffic jam as there was already a school nearby.  He also stated that the building posed a fire safety hazard as fire engines would be unable to enter the complex and the setbacks were only four metres when it should be  nine metres. The PIL speculated that in case of a fire, the situation would be similar to that of Carlton Towers, where poor fire safety measures led to nine deaths, when the building caught fire.

The petitioner also said that the BBMP health department on April 19 had specified that no licence had been granted to open the hospital.  They prayed that Vikram Hospitals not be allowed to commission the hospital in the existing building.  A division bench headed by Justice V G Sabhahit directed the BBMP to act within six weeks of receiving the order and take action in accordance to the representation.