Attack on DP continues: After Shiv Sena, NCP gets on the bandwagon

After Shiv Sena chief’s attack, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday slammed the draft development plan for the next 20 years, claiming it will only lead to vertical growth and haphazard planning. State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said the party will oppose the plan and will ask the civic body to reconsider it.

After Shiv Sena chief’s attack, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday slammed the draft development plan for the next 20 years, claiming it will only lead to vertical growth and haphazard planning. State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said the party will oppose the plan and will ask the civic body to reconsider it.

The Sena chief had, in an interview to Hindustan Times on Tuesday, said he would throw the plan in the dustbin, if it doesn’t lead to cheaper homes and open spaces. Chiding Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Tatkare said, “The Shiv Sena is the ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Thackeray could have thrown the plan in the bin when it was placed before the civic body, rather than opposing it now.”

The plan, unveiled two weeks ago by BMC chief Sitaram Kunte, has been mired in controversy. Among other things, it has proposed raising the FSI to 8, as well as opening up of the Aarey Milk Colony.

Criticising the DP earlier, Tatkare had said the provisions of the plan didn’t seem well thought out. “They have proposed a high FSI for the city without accounting for the existing density. For instance, how can an area like Dadar get an FSI of 8? There are many errors and conceptual flaws in the DP. They are so many in number that we will have to call for a special press conference to expose them,” he had said.

Meanwhile, the appointment of Ashok Chavan as the state Congress chief might see fresh unity between the NCP and Congress. Tatkare said Chavan had reached out to NCP leader Ajit Pawar after taking over. “The NCP and Congress leaders have decided to meet before the budget session of the state Assembly begins from Monday. We will have a coordination meeting on Sunday.”

Sources said the two parties might jointly step up the pressure on the government over various issues. “We have decided we will not allow the session to function till the government discusses relief for drought- and rain-affected farmers,” Tatkare said.