MSRDC seeks to give land under CRZ for lease

Mumbai: A 1.54 acre land parcel in the prime area of Napean Sea road in south Mumbai is most likely to fall prey to commercial exploitation even though it falls under the coastal regulatory zone (CRZ).

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has called for an expression of interest (EOI) to give the land on lease for 99 years. Activists, however, are up in arms against the proposal on gro-unds that the plot falls under CRZ-1 and that the Bombay high court in 2007 prohibited any construction there. The market cost of the land parcel is around Rs 600 crore.

The MSRDC however claims that there will be no violation of the HC order and that leasing of the land will only be for the purposes allowed in the city development plan and development control regulation (DCR) 2034.

“The development on the land will be exactly as per law and Development Plan of Mumbai. All documents are available on the MCGM website for public viewing,” said the managing director of MSRDC, Radheshyam Mopalwar.

Meanwhile, citizens’ forum alleged that the MSRDC is convoluting court order to suit its interests. “The HC in 2007 prohibited MSRDC to raise any construction on the plot. Based on this, the ministry of environment and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority prohibited any construction on this plot of land which is deemed to be located in CRZ 1,” said Mukul Mehra, forum secretary.