Nine prime plots to remain with politicians

No provision in new RGPG policy to take back plots

While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) may take over all 216 open plots that were allotted under the previous adoption policy, nine prime plots that were given to politicians under the caretaker policy, will continue to remain with them.

In its new RGPG policy, the BMC has scrapped the caretaker policy which was in the eye of controversy due to misuse of open spaces. Henceforth, the civic body will allot open spaces only on adoption basis which prevents any kind of construction on the plot. However, the new policy doesn’t have any provision to take back those open spaces that were given on a caretaker basis to various trusts controlled by political parties and make them accessible to citizens.

The policy is also silent on violation of norms by these trusts. Citizen groups said that the new policy will not be worthwhile if the civic body does not take control of all plots. Harish Pandey of the New Link Road Residents Forum (NLRRF), Dahisar, said, “What’s the use of the new policy if it does not include all open spaces in the city The BMC should take over all plots and allot them to the NGOs, citizen groups and corporates for maintenance instead of politicians.”

Similarly, open space activist Nikhil Desai from Matunga said that these plots should be taken over by the BMC. “Since the BMC has decided to scrap the caretaker policy, the plots given earlier under this policy should also be taken back and given on adoption basis,” he said. Earlier, during the Sena-BJP rule in the state between 1995 and 1999, several open plots under the caretaker policy were allotted to trusts affiliated to politicians which included the Kamla Vihar Sports Complex and Mandapeshwar Club (Borivali), Prabodhankar Thackeray Complex (Vile Parle), MIG Club (Bandra), Matoshree Club (Jogeshwari), Dahisar Sports Foundation (Dahisar), Wellington Club (Santacruz), Ronson Foundation (Juhu) and Prabodhankar Krida Bhavan (Goregaon).

One of the major grievances of citizens was that open plots given away to such trusts controlled by political parties were being used for constructing clubs and restaurants.