Mazgaon plot: Time running out for BMC

The civic development plan (DP) department is on tenterhooks.

The civic development plan (DP) department is on tenterhooks.

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With the deadline for starting the acquisition process of the 1,000 sq-metre plot in Mazgaon looming over their heads, officials are working hard to make sure there are no loose ends.

The DP department has readied all the documents — from details of the plot, resolution passed in the civic improvements committee, details of encroachments on the plot, a civic body report — which need to be submitted to the state urban development department to stat the acquisition process.

“The officials from the DP department have asked me whether the proposal for the plot would be cleared in the general body meeting on Tuesday,” said mayor Shraddha Jadhav.

“Our work will start from Tuesday evening after the proposal gets the green signal from the civic general body,” said an official from the department, requesting anonymity.

The official said they would have to take the documents to the Mantralaya personally.

The Hindustan Times had reported on October 6 that the civic body was left with just a few days to clear the proposal and start the process of acquiring the open space, which is currently reserved for a recreation ground.

Almost all political party leaders, including Congress leader Rajhans Singh, corporator Vinod Shekhar, improvements committee chairman and BJP corporator Manoj Kotak, MNS leader Mangesh Sangle, demanded that the meeting be conducted before October 13.

The plot, owned by the state government, is reserved for a recreation ground under the 1991 Development Plan. It has been leased to the civic body, which has further sub-leased it to SK and SK developers.

Till now, the Shiv Sena-run municipal corporation has made no effort to acquire the plot.

The development rules allow the owner of such a plot to put forth a proposal to buy the land back, if the civic body fails to acquire it within a specific time frame.

On October 14, last year, architect Prakash Ghariya, on behalf of the developers, had issued a purchase notice of Rs 2.58 crore for the plot.

According to the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, the plot’s reservation lapses within 12 months of the date on which the purchase notice is served. After this, the owner of the plot can use the land in any way he wants.