Mumbai’s Development Plan may be delayed

The draft Development Plan (DP) 203 may have to wait before it can be approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) newly elected representatives.

The draft Development Plan (DP) 203 may have to wait before it can be approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) newly elected representatives. The new general body of corporators, in which over 50% of them are unaware about the plan, is most likely to demand for an extension from the state government to study the plan and to propose any changes, according to an official. The DP is the blueprint for the city’s infrastructure development for the next two decades.

The new general body of corporators, in which over 50% of them are unaware about the plan, is most likely to demand for an extension from the state government to study the plan and to propose any changes (HT)

After the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled civic corporation in December approved an extension till March 20 for submitting the draft to the state government, the partners-turned-foes are now likely to again cause a delay. This delay is causing a confusion in the real-estate market as several developers are juggling between the DP 1991 and the new draft 2034 that is in the public domain. With projects getting delayed and some not starting, it is causing a drop in the development revenue of the civic body.

Shiv Sena’s two leaders, Yashodhar Phanse and Trushna Vishwasrao, who were also members of the planning committee, are no longer part of the corporation after losing the civic election held last month which leaves Sena with no senior member who is aware of the details. Fifty seven of BJP’s 82 corporators are first-timers, who are not completely aware of the plan. “Owing to all this and the proposal, which is yet to be submitted to the corporators, there is less time for them to study the DP and suggest any changes, thus a minimum extension of 15 days is what the corporators are eyeing”, said a civic official.

According to a source, after the six-member planning committee submitted a draft DP to the previous mayor,Snehal Ambekar, last Monday, a formal proposal has been submitted by the DP department to be put up in the general body meeting that will be held on March 17 and 18. It is only on these days that the corporators can ask for an extension or the DP will be deemed approved after March 20. To demand for an extension, the general body will have to pass an amendment to the proposal submitted by the planning committee. The planning committee has recommended 2,245 changes to the draft DP and will need the general body’s approval before forwarding it to the state government.

Yashwant Jadhav, group leader of Shiv Sena, said, “Let the proposal first get circulated and only then we will decide whether we will go ahead with demanding an extension or not.” Manoj Kotak, group leader of BJP, said, “We have not thought about it yet.”

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