The state government has announced an inquiry into cases where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had issued occupation certificates (OC) to private developers of mill land despite them not handing over reserved plots or one third of their open spaces to the civic body and the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (Mhada). Also, the state will amend the development control (DC) rules in the larger interest of the people and the government authority, and not private developers.
While replying on a starred question raised by Shiv Sena legislator Sunil Shinde over issues of houses for mill workers on mill land and the debate over violation of rules by mill owner, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a thorough inquiry into the cases of non-compliance of provisions of the BMC’s DC rules.
Mr Shinde raised the issue of a famous mill located in Lower Parel. “Phoenix Mill has not handed over the reserved school or garden plot to the BMC, as per the Development Plan (DP) 1991. Also, a mill has started construction of five star hotel in 2004 without handing over the reserved plots,” said Mr Shinde. He also pointed out that many other mills too had not handed over one third of the land to the BMC.
The chief minister said, “Phoenix Mill had made a plea to the previous government that there were differences in reservation in the last two DPs (1984 and 1991) and it was ready to hand over reserved plots only after the differences were cleared. The government will clear them in the proposed DP 2034 and will acquire the plots. The government will inquire into any irregularities”
BJP’s Ashish Shelar, however, asked, “On their plea, how did the BMC approve the Phoenix Mill plan and issue an occupation certificate to a five-star hotel without them being handed the reserved plots Will the government initiate an inquiry in this case ”
Mr Fadnavis said that it would be checked how the BMC approved the plan. “The government will check whether the BMC had approved the plan without handing over a reserved plot.”
Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil also demanded that a special investigation team be set up to find out who had benefited. The CM said, “The state will inquire all aspects related to DC rule 58 and whether it had been misused or applied with mala fide intention. We will amend the DC rules.”
