MUMBAI, Nov. 10 -- The BMC has issued a show-cause notice to H West ward's assistant engineer (maintenance) Deepak Gholam for alleged irregularities in the road status report of three plots on Boran Road and Gaothan Road in Bandra West. The notice was sent following a complaint received from RTI activist Santosh Daundkar on October 6. HT on October 29 had reported on the alleged large-scale manipulation of road status records by road engineers from the ward to facilitate private redevelopment projects in Bandra West. Vishwas Mote, deputy municipal commissioner (Zone III), subsequently ordered a preliminary inquiry into the matter. According to the notice issued to Gholam on November 6, a copy of which is with HT, discrepancies emerged between two sets of road status remarks issued for the same plots. In earlier remarks dated July 8, 2014, the road width measurements for the gaothan gully adjoining the plots were recorded as 5 metres, 3.80 metres and 4.30 metres. However, in a later set of remarks dated November 4, 2024, issued in response to a request from a developer, the road widths recorded were significantly different, ranging from 6 metres to 9.40 metres. Given the conflicting records, the ward office conducted a fresh site inspection on October 27. The updated measurements again differed from the remarks furnished earlier by the assistant engineer, with widths ranging between 4.15 metres and 9.40 metres. The inspection report concluded that the discrepancies indicated a mismatch between the information provided previously and the actual field situation. Under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034, road width directly affects permissible building height, FSI and eligibility for redevelopment. The Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, also sets minimum width requirements for emergency access. Daundkar stated that both these laws had been violated through fabricated documentation and demanded that the permits granted to the developers be cancelled. The administration has taken serious note of what it describes as misrepresentation of facts and misleading of higher authorities. It has stated that such actions amount to dereliction of duty, gross negligence and lack of due diligence in official responsibilities. Gholam has been directed to provide a written explanation within seven days of receiving the notice, justifying why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. The notice warns that failure to submit a satisfactory explanation within the stipulated time will lead to the presumption that he has no valid justification, and action may be taken ex-parte without further communication. Dinesh Pallewad, assistant commissioner of H West ward, confirmed that a show-cause notice had been issued to Gholam. HT made repeated attempts to contact Gholam but he remained unavailable for comment....