Residents of Khar (West) are in uproar over the reopening of Wakai, a restaurant located in the B Wing of Mangal Sandesh, on 17th Road. They allege that the restaurant’s operations have caused significant noise pollution, traffic congestion and a general disturbance in the quiet residential area. Despite numerous complaints to the authorities over the past year-and-a-half, they claim their grievances have been neglected, largely due to political interference.

Leading the charge is the Khar Residents Association, whose managing trustee, Anandi Thakur, spoke to The Free Press Journal, saying, “Since the restaurant is owned by a BJP-affiliated individual and the local MP is from the BJP, we feel powerless to raise our concerns. The restaurant plays loud music late into the night, and patrons often stand outside on the roads with glasses. The noise, coupled with cars revving and playing loud music, has become unbearable.”

The situation, Thakur noted, has been exacerbated by the fact that the restaurant occupies three flats within the building. “We’ve approached the BMC, spoken with the assistant municipal commissioner, and even taken the matter to court, but no justice has been served.”

The complaints focus primarily on Wakai restaurant, but residents argue that other cafes in the area are contributing to the problem. One resident remarked, “On 17th Road, over 20 buildings are affected by this, but we continue to be ignored by the local ward office.”

The residents have submitted a formal letter to the municipal commissioner, demanding the revocation of Wakai’s restaurant and bar licence. The letter, endorsed by numerous residents and societies, outlines the issues they have faced, including fraudulent NOC letters allegedly submitted by the restaurant owner, Manish Jain, who they claim has misrepresented the residents’ consent. According to the letter, Jain converted stilt parking into a kitchen and utilised fungible FSI without any approval from the residents of Mangal Sandesh’s ‘A’ wing, with which the ‘B’ Wing shares a common wall.

The letter also alleges that Wakai has taken over a second-floor residential flat in A Wing, originally rented for residential purposes, and repurposed it for staff quarters, storage and other restaurant-related uses. “They’ve disrupted our lives by using our lobby, lifts and amenities for commercial purposes,” said one resident.

The ongoing situation has also caused significant parking and traffic issues in the area. With schools located nearby, residents are particularly concerned about the safety risks posed by the increased vehicular activity and the illegal conversions within the building compound.

“It’s a constant struggle with the restaurant’s valet staff, who block gates and create traffic snarls. We fear that these changes could also pose fire hazards, as the restaurant has been using tanker water and lacks proper firefighting systems,” the letter further stated.