The Shiv Sena and the Opposition parties entered into a row over a 3,607-square metre plot in Western India United Mills at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Improvement Committee meeting on Thursday.

According to the city’s land redevelopment rules, if a mill land is undergoing redevelopment, then the BMC is entitled to 33% of the land to develop public amenities and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) is entitled to 27% for developing affordable housing. However, Section 58 (1)(b) of Development Control Regulations allows the two bodies to exchange their plots.

It was proposed at the meeting that the BMC would hand over the 3,607-square metre plot to the MHADA to build houses for mill workers, and the MHADA in return would give the BMC six smaller plots, located in different parts of the city and measuring 3,873 square metres, to build gardens. The BMC stood to gain property worth ₹4.33 crore more through the deal.

The proposal was tabled at the meeting and the ruling party and the Opposition did not object to it. The Opposition then moved an amendment stating that people belonging to economically weaker sections and lower income groups should be included in the housing project. The Opposition wanted the proposal to be passed along with the amendment and demanded a vote. However, the Sena refused to take a decision on constructing residences for the poor in the mill workers’ housing complex.

Dilip Lande, Sena corporator and the committee’s chairman, decided to defer the proposal and take a vote on it. The Opposition sat on the floor in protest and the chairman adjourned the meeting. In the confusion, the proposal got deferred.

Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi said, “We don’t want people to think that we allowed the proposal to be deferred. We asked for a vote on the proposal and not postponement. Even the municipal secretary agreed we were right. We want Mumbaikars to know we are not delaying mill workers’ rights, the Sena is.” The Congress and the Samajwadi Party said the proposal should have been passed with the amendment, by deferring the proposal, the Sena has indefinitely postponed it.

Mr. Lande at a press conference said, “No party wants to do injustice to mill workers’ families. The administration made mistakes in the original proposal and we wanted an explanation. We also want to know why it took the administration four years to bring the proposal before the committee. That is why we have temporarily stopped the proposal.” The committee members will now visit the plots on February 12 and take a decision.