State to resolve CIDCO-NMMC dispute over plot

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked the state to resolve the dispute between CIDCO and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) over a plot in front of the Navi Mumbai mayor’s bungalow. According to NMMC, the plot cannot be developed and CIDCO should give them the said land at garden rate. However, CIDCO is unwilling to give NMMC the land at a garden rate, and is willing to sell it at residential rate instead.

A division bench of Justice Shantanu Kemkar and Justice Makarand Karnik was hearing the petition which alleged that the plot belonging to CIDCO had been encroached upon by the NMMC and transformed into a garden used exclusively by the mayor. The petition sought that the garden be thrown open to the public.

NMMC counsel argued that it had constructed the mayor’s bungalow on CIDCO land and also built a garden in front of the bungalow. According to the NMMC, which is the planning authority, no construction is possible on the said land and because it built a garden on that land, it was ready to pay CIDCO as per garden and not residential rate. NMMC counsel also pointed out irregularities in the way CIDCO had distributed the land to others.

On its part, CIDCO refuted the allegations saying that it had given the land to construct the mayor’s bungalow as per residential rate, however NMMC encroached upon the land adjacent to the bungalow and built a garden. CIDCO said that it did not object to the garden but only wanted payment as per residential rate.

The court then asked the principal secretary to look into the matter and dissolved the issue and kept the matter for hearing after two weeks.