Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Wednesday seized Maangalya Shopping Mall at Chikkadpally for operating without an Occupancy Certificate (OC) for the past several months. According to GHMC, following a complaint of unauthorised occupancy of the building without obtaining an Occupancy Certificate from GHMC, Maangalya Shopping Mall was seized.

Despite notices being served upon the occupier calling for an explanation and submission of relevant documents regarding the building’s occupancy without a prior Occupancy Certificate from GHMC, a senior Town Planning officer stated that upon verification, it was observed that building permission had been obtained by T Vinay Kumar and others for the construction of three cellars, ground plus five floors for a commercial-cum-multiplex; however, the Occupancy Certificate had not been obtained by the applicant from GHMC, which is mandatory as per building rules, and the building shall only be occupied by the owner after obtaining an OC from GHMC.

It was further observed that a shopping mall was operating on the ground and first floor without obtaining an OC from GHMC.

“As there was no response from the occupier to the Show Cause Notice issued by GHMC, the GHMC on Wednesday took action and sealed the ground and first floor of the building which was occupied by Maangalya Shopping Mall,” a Town Planning officer stated.

Furthermore, it should be noted that buildings which have obtained building permission from GHMC shall only be occupied after obtaining an occupancy certificate as per Rule 26.