A Right to Information Act response from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reveals that the BMC has submitted the proposal to the Urban Development Department, Maharashtra State Government for the allocation of five acres of land in Mulund out of the 18 acres for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project on an immediate basis as it’s readily available, and the remaining 10 acres will be handed over after the completion of the ongoing project work.
Advocate and social activist, Sagar Devre who filed the RTI said that 41.6 acres of land is now given for dumping ground reclamation and will be given over for Dharavi Rehabilitation Project after June 2025.
“Earlier, it was claimed that no land had been allocated for the Dharavi Rehabilitation Project in Mulund. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Kirit Somaiya and Mihir Kotecha had spread misinformation during the election campaign. It is important to note that the master plan for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is still pending, which will determine the number of eligible citizens, the amount of land required, and the location of the rehabilitation,” Mr. Devre said.
In the RTI response received on July 2, 2024, the BMC has provided a copy of letter of BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani in which he has addressed the Urban Development Department, in a response to request letter dated January 10, 2024, regarding a BMC land situated in Mulund. It stated that the 46 acres of land in Mulund, Dahisar check naka, Mankhurd Octroi Naka, and 18 acres of land at Mulund check naka have been requested from BMC for the Dharavi Rehabilitation Project and for that a proposal should be submitted to the government along with the necessary resolution as per Section 92 (CC) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
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About 27,700 square meter of land in Dahisar has already been handed over to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSADC) for expansion of the toll plaza and about 19,000 square meter land is proposed for a transport and commercial complex project.
“This is biggest land scam in the Indian history, with hundreds of acres of land being given to the Adani Group in the name of the Dharavi Redevelopment and Rehabilitation Project. Earlier hundred acres of saltpan land was allotted for Dharavi Rehabilitation Project along with Kurla Diary land and Matunga Railway land. The issue will be taken to the Mumbai High Court soon,” Mr. Devre said.
As per the information received through the RTI, the municipal corporation has informed the State Government under reference number six that it has no objection. According to Section 92 (CC) of the BMC Act, 1988, if the permanent property of the Municipal Corporation is to be given, it is only possible to give it according to the market price, the RTI read.
Since the Dharavi Rehabilitation Project is an ambitious project of the government, if the places to be made available for the rehabilitation and the BMC is to be made available, it requires the orders of the government, in consideration of the proposal for the further order in terms of Section 92 (CC) of the BMC Act, 1988, Mr. Devre said.
Published - July 05, 2024 03:20 am IST
