‘Won’t let BMC use open spaces and salt pans’

MUMBAI: The scheme of affordable housing has invited serious opposition from activists, amongst a galore of other issues, in the proposed draft Development Plan

MUMBAI: The scheme of affordable housing has invited serious opposition from activists, amongst a galore of other issues, in the proposed draft Development Plan (DP) 2034.

HT Image

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) released the DP on Saturday, giving citizen activists and NGOs 60 days (until July 28, 2016) to suggest changes to the plan. Aftab Siddique, chairperson, 33 Road Khar ALM 144 said, “A 60-year-old major slum inhabited by the dabbawalas in H/West ward didn’t get any legal designation in the DP. Also the plan of occupying open spaces and salt pans for constructing houses is bizarre. ”

Prakash Padikkal, president of Hillside Residents Welfare Association (HIRWA) said, “In a flood-prone area like Mumbai, it is unreasonable to use salt pans for housing and so is the usage of open spaces. HIRWA’s suggestions will be on these concerns.”

Sanjay Porwal, an architect & president of VOICE Organisation said, “BMC must not lay their hands over open spaces especially Aarey and salt pans. They should instead come up with more creative ideas for getting land, for instance using the space occupied by huge pipelines coming from Lonavala for constructing roads.”