The general assembly of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) witnessed noisy scenes over the Shiv Sena giving up six prime plots in the city. The plots were reserved for setting up amenities proposed in the Development Plan (DP).
However, the Sena-led Improvement Committee ruled that the plots could not be acquired as they had been encroached upon. The Opposition criticised the Sena for the move and took to task the Improvement Committee chairman, Dilip Lande.
The Hindu had reported on January 2 that six proposals for land acquisition were rejected after they came up for discussion at a meeting of the Improvement Committee, which deliberates on land use in the city. The six plots, worth around ₹250 crore, are located in Poisar and Goregaon and range between 2,000 square metres and 11,000 squares metres. Five of the six plots are owned by M/s Bombay Real Estate Development Company Private Limited.
On January 3, leader of the Opposition in the BMC Ravi Raja opposed the move and claimed that the Sena was looting Mumbai. On Monday, Mr. Raja moved a motion on the matter in the assembly. He said, “Encumbered plots have been acquired even in the past. Then why did the Sena suddenly consider it a problem this time? That way, the BMC will not be able to acquire a single inch of land in Mumbai. The Shiv Sena has been careless and betrayed the people of Mumbai.”
Samajwadi Party leader Rais Shaikh and NCP leader Rakhi Jadhav slammed the Sena, while its ally BJP termed it bhukhand chor (land thief) in the assembly. In turn, the Sena accused the BJP of ‘usurping nine plots’. Mr. Lande said, “The Congress is opposing the move now. Were your corporators, who are members of the committee, sleeping when the decision was taken? In fact, its own member Ashraf Azmi has said that 126 plots acquired by the BMC in recent years are encumbered.”
Mr. Azmi demanded to know the status of these plots and what steps the administration was going to take to remove the encroachments. Mr. Lande then attacked Mr. Raja and claimed that he himself had signed a proposal last year to change the reservation of a Kurla plot. After Mr. Lande’s speech, the Opposition and BJP corporators started chanting Chhe plot wapas karo [Bring back the six plots] and Lande chor hai (Lande is a thief).
Sena leader Yashwant Jadhav said, “We have already written to the administration to bring back the proposal of the six plots with sufficient details. The last time, there were not enough details. We also want to know why five of the six plots belong to the same builder and whether there is any vested interest here. We are committed to acquiring the plots, maintaining their reservation and developing them, there is no doubt about that.”
The House resumed proceedings after the uproar.