Mumbai’s ‘Tower Of Corruption’ Set For Redevelopment: How Is It Linked To Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle & Haji Mastan?

Pratibha Cooperative Housing Society, famously dubbed Mumbai’s original “tower of corruption,” is set for a massive ₹1,000-crore reconstruction.
Located off Breach Candy in South Mumbai, the infamous 36-storey structure —which became the poster child for real estate Floor Space Index (FSI) fraud in the 1980s — will be replaced by a modern 179-metre luxury skyscraper, the Times of India reported.

THE HISTORY: THE 1984 SCAM

The controversy came to light in 1984 when the then-Mumbai Collector Arun Bhatia exposed a massive building approval fraud. The builder had falsified the plot area, declaring it as 9,282 square metres instead of its actual 7,197 square metres. This inflated figure allowed the developer to illegally gain an additional 27,000 square feet of floor space.

The building was nearing completion when the scam broke.

WHO WERE THE BUYERS?

As it was planned as the city’s tallest and most luxurious residential skyscraper at the time, it attracted prominent VVIP buyers. Among the affluent buyers who had purchased the sprawling flats were high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and legendary playback singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.
Other high-net-worth individuals, including former Chief Minister Vasantdada Patil, and gangster Haji Mastan, had booked apartments in the building. Each floor was designed to house two sprawling flats.

THE DEMOLITION

Following fierce legal battles, the Supreme Court ordered strict action against unlawful constructions. The top 8 illegal floors were torn down by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the mid-1990s. The remaining 28 storeys stood vacant for decades before being completely razed and levelled in February 2019.

THE 179-METRE SKYSCRAPER

Following the clearing of the 2-acre plot, the housing society’s 35 original members entered negotiations for redevelopment, the TOI report said.
The new 179-metre skyscraper will feature luxury residential flats mapped strictly between floors 8 and 32. A dedicated amenities arena and recreational zone will occupy the 33rd floor.
Reflecting the premium market value of the Pedder Road-Breach Candy enclave, current property rates in the area hover around ₹1,00,000 per square foot. Original buyers are slated to receive massive 3,300 sq ft apartments in the rebuilt tower.

With agency inputs