Maharashtra cabinet gives nod to lease out prime South Mumbai plot to NGO despite Finance department objection

“It will not be appropriate to give the land to a private organisation at a time when the government itself needs land to build its offices. Hence, the proposal should not be given nod. A number of important government offices from Mantralaya have been transferred to nearby places due to lack of space and the government is spending crores of rupees on rent. In such a scenario, the prime plot cannot be given for any reason,” the finance department said and added, “The land should be acquired for government offices at the earliest.”

The revenue department accepted the remarks made by finance and stated, “While the circumstances are as mentioned by the finance department, the state has a policy to give land at concessional / lease rates to non-profit organisations to build education, health and social service related facilities.”

The JIO will have to pay a lease amount of 25 per cent of the market rate of the plot as per the MCLR rate and it will be updated every five years.

The plot in Colaba in South Mumbai was with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited for a temporary construction yard for Mumbai Metro – 3. In 2013, the Mumbai city district collector handed over the plot to Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in a bid to protect it from encroachment.

In 2015, the collector asked the MMRDA to temporarily hand over the plot to MMRCL for constructing yard of the Mumbai Metro – 3. In July 2023, the MMRCL informed the city collector that the work on the plot was over. However, it was kept with the MMRCL to avoid further encroachment by appointing a security guard. At present, the land was being used as a parking lot. The document presented in front of the state cabinet said that in 2019, the “parking” reservation on the same was changed to “school”.

In March 2024, the state cabinet had approved to give 1.02 lakh square feet plot for running Jain Gymkhana on a 30-year lease. It was earlier occupied by Wilson College Gymkhana and the decision was opposed by the student and alumni association. The case is in the Bombay High Court.