Bastiwala plans protest against Mukesh Ambani’s $2 billion home on Wakf land

Mukesh Ambani has built a 27-storey building which is 550-feet above sea level. The building includes 6 floors just for parking. It is to be noted that he is the fifth richest person around the world and the richest resident in India. The house constructed is the costliest ever in the planet. The entire cost for constructing the building is $2 billion according to Forbes. The 4,00,000 square-feet building was constructed in a span of four years. Back in March 2008, Mukesh Ambani was ranked the fifth richest person in the world with $43 billion. The only comparable building to that of Mukesh Ambani’s house is the triplex penthouse at New York which was built at a cost of $70 million.

The particular place from the building is designed to offer a panoramic view of the city. There is a separate gym for each family member, open air gardens in four floors, a theatre that can accommodate 65 people along with wine and snack bar. This is not yet. The list goes on with a spa, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, personal helipad etc. Something special about the building is that Mukesh Ambani is planning to build an Ice room to cut of the Mumbai heat. Each floor is constructed with twice the height of a normal one which will make the building twice as tall as other tall building in the locality. The number of people working everyday in order to maintain things will be around 600.

It has been the most talked about residential property in India for sometime now. Housed in Mumbai's up market Altamount Road, Mukesh Ambani's 27-floor residence, currently standing high, is in a bit of a controversy. Antilia, as it will be called, is a 4,532 square metre piece of land, which was bought by a company called Antilia Commercial, owned by Ambani, in 2002 for around Rs 20 crore.

It now transpires that the land belongs to the Wakf Board and questions are being raised over the deal. The Maharashtra government has termed the transaction as "illegal" and has issued a show cause notice to the Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Board for the Wakfs. The alleged irregularities in the sale of the land, as alleged by the government, is something that the Wakf Board will have to clarify on. The original owner of the property is said to be the Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Orphanage. As things stand, the Wakf Board issued a notice to Antilia Commercial asking why the property should not be restored to the Wakf Board as it was acquired in contravention of the Wakf rules.

The Ambani house, as envisaged, will be among the most extravagant residential projects in the country. Apart from a mammoth outlay of Rs 400 crore, the house is expected to have a six-floor parking, a health club, a swimming pool, an entertainment centre and helipads. While speaking to Santacruz Patrika, the District President of NCP K.A.Bastiwals said, “The property belongs to Wakf Board which cannot be sold nor the title altered. Since it was use for an orphanage it is shameful to note that one of India’s wealthiest person has constructed his residential skyscraper which housed an orphanage. In this regard I am contemplating to take a morcha to Haji Ali in solidarity protest for orphans.” When contacted, the Reliance Industries spokesperson was not available to comment.