Mumbai: In an instance that best exemplifies the apathetic nature of several corporators towards the development of city, more than 32 per cent corporators skipped the seminar on the Development Plan (DP) 2034. Incidentally, these corporators had asked for an extension so that they could study the DP properly.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had organised a seminar at Sion Hospital to enlighten corporators about the intricacies of the DP 2034. Gautam Chatterjee, a DP planning committee member, and Ramanath Jha, an urban planning expert, addressed corporators on the DP, the land use map pertaining to the city’s infrastructure, which includes roads, gardens, schools and hospitals.
However, according to civic data out of 232 corporators (227 elected and five nominated) only 159 turned up to attend the seminar. Of the elected corporators, around 158 have been elected for the first time, whereas four have also been nominated for the first time. The seminar was held in an attempt to clarify their doubts about the DP.
“Since most of the corporators are first-timers and have little idea about the DP, we decided to hold a presentation for them,” said a senior official.
Some of the new corporators said the seminar proved beneficial for them. Shiv Sena corporator Samadhan Sarwankar said, “The DP is an important document for the future development of the city. The seminar helped me to understand it in detail.”
Senior BJP corporator Prakash Gangadhare said, “Whether the corporators are new or experienced, they have to attend the seminar as it is an opportunity to learn more about the DP.”
The state government recently gave in to the general body of corporators' demand that they be given a two months' extension before approving the draft.
The newly-elected corporators had asked for an extension of two months to study the draft before approving it. The DP is the blueprint for city's infrastructural growth in the next two decades.
