"We were ourselves not keen to sell the property… but given its condition, it is not economically viable to maintain it,” stated The Bandra Parsi Convalescent Home (BPCH) trustee Farokh Banatwalla, an ex-banker, while speaking to Parsiana on July 18, 2019. He was referring to the one-acre plot in Lands End, Bandra, on which stands a dilapidated 12,000 sq ft bungalow, advertisements for sale of which were printed in The Times of India and Maharashtra Times on July 9.
The trust has engaged international property consultants CBRE to market and sell the plot. "It is premature to speculate what it will fetch… four or five interested parties have collected bid documents,” said Banatwalla. A public auction is scheduled for August 22 at CBRE’s office in Bandra Kurla Complex.
Top and above: dilapidated Bandra Parsi Convalescent Home property up
for sale; (top, far r) Shirinbai Cama Convalescent Home: accommodating the needy
"We are doing everything in a very transparent manner…The public has a right to question the actions of the trustees, but in a responsible manner… Allegations of fraud and collusion with builders and others on the part of the trustees are unacceptable,” Banatwalla stated. He was referring to the emails and WhatsApp messages circulated after the sale announcement, alleging misdemeanor on the part of the trustees.
This led the trustees to make an announcement in the Parsi Press on July 13 "presenting the true and correct facts before the general public.” In addition to giving the history of the Home, and the financial burden, the trustees clarified that during the last two-three years they had attempted to lease the property to a hospital and retain about 25 beds for a convalescent home. These efforts were not successful. "Holding on to a property at any cost with all its liabilities and encumbrances is not in the best interests of the trust,” they stated in the announcement.
The structure was run as a convalescent home for needy Parsi women and children for over a century since it was established by philanthropist and social worker Shirinbai Cama. The institution was shut down about 15 years ago due to poor occupancy. Banatwalla clarified that in recent years there have been between five and six applications annually from needy women. These applicants were accommodated at the Shirinbai Cama Convalescent Home, also run by the trustees of BPCH (see "Convalescing at Cama,” Parsiana, May 21, 2018).
"The property has become a white elephant….more than that, it is a liability,” said Banatwalla. He stated that property taxes are approximately Rs 16 lakhs per annum effective 2012, prior to which they were Rs 4,630 annually. The trustees, along with other lessees in Bandra, have challenged the increased levy.
"The trustees collectively thought it prudent to put the property for sale and use the proceeds to build up a larger corpus from which we can help many more of the less fortunate…Facilities for women and children will continue in a good location (the Shirinbai Cama Convalescent Home)…in a sea-facing property,” he explained. The Trust aided over 200 individuals in the last year with Rs 28 lakhs spent on relief of poverty, medical aid and education assistance, he said. "We can do so much more,” stated Banatwalla.
The other BPCH trustees are businessman Sam Choksey, engineer Bomy Dabhoiwala, lawyer Nadir Modi, senior corporate executive Farrokh Kavarana and management consultant Cyrus Vevaina.