Four years after a BEd college run by Congress MP Eknath Gaikwads Abhay Shikshan Kendra was constructed on a Vikroli land reserved for social welfare purposes,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has now twisted the reservation to education and social welfare centre to accommodate a bigger educational institute. Acting on the directions of the state government,the Improvement Committee on Thursday approved a proposal to change the reservation of the land,which had been earlier earmarked for social welfare in the development plan of S ward. The land,admeasuring 1190 sq metres,was given by MHADA to Abhay Shikshan Kendra,which is run by Gaikwad and his daughter MLA Varsha Gaikwad. While earlier there was a social welfare centre on the land,comprising a community hall for educational and cultural activities,a library and a gym,later seven floors of the building were constructed to run a B Ed college. A proposal submitted by the Kendra to the committee said as there are no educational and cultural centres in the vicinity,the land reservation should be changed to accommodate the centre. In 2005,the Kendra started the college on the top three floors. As per the official website of the Kendra,the building houses science labs,lecture halls etc. Now,the Kendra has sought changes in land reservation to expand the college into a full fledged institution. Committee chairman Yashodhar Phanse said since the directions have come from the state government,approval could not be denied. Both MP and MLA Gaikwad could not be reached for comment.
