Opposition tears papers, climbs seats as BMC clears ‘Rs 20,000 crore’ land deals
Among the most contentious was the proposal to hand over the 23,822-sq-metre Century Mills plot in Lower Parel to Peddar Realty Ltd for Rs 1,351 crore for redevelopment, including housing for former mill workers.
Congress alleged that land parcels with a combined value of around Rs 20,000 crore had been cleared without discussion. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
The Mumbai civic body’s ruling dispensation on Tuesday pushed through a string of contentious proposals involving prime civic land. The proposals were cleared within minutes, triggering an Opposition protest and walkout, and allegations that civic assets worth thousands of crores of rupees were being transferred without adequate scrutiny.
The Opposition claimed proposals involving civic land worth around Rs 20,000 crore were cleared without allowing a discussion. Following the walkout, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and corporators, led by former mayor Kishori Pednekar, held a mock general body meeting outside BMC’s heritage civic hall. The proposals were brought before the House for final approval.
Among the most contentious was the proposal to hand over the 23,822-sq-metre Century Mills plot in Lower Parel to Peddar Realty Ltd for Rs 1,351 crore for redevelopment, including housing for former mill workers.
The House approved allotting 15 acres of the erstwhile Mulund dumping ground to Navbharat Mega Developers Private Limited (NMDPL) to set up a ready-mix concrete plant and casting yard for the Dharavi redevelopment project. Other projects include 66,687-sq-metre Seven Hills Hospital in Marol, a transfer of 8,994 sq m of BMC land in Lower Parel to Shri Sai Sundar Nagar Co-operative Housing Society for redevelopment, and transferring a civic plot in Borivali to Blue Sky Co Ltd.
The House also approved a proposal to change the reservation of a 1,840-sq-metre garden plot at Lakshminarayan Temple in Ambivali to residential use.
As Mayor Ritu Tawde began taking up the improvement committee proposals, Opposition leader and senior Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Kishori Pednekar sought a discussion, which was turned down. Tawde also maintained that the proposals had already been cleared by the improvement committee.
The decision triggered an uproar, particularly over the Century Mills proposal. Corporators from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and MNS raised objections, stood on their seats and tore papers before walking out of the House.
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The Opposition subsequently held an hour-long mock general body proceeding outside the civic headquarters and later met the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) to raise concerns over the transfer and use of civic land.
Congress alleged that land parcels with a combined value of around Rs 20,000 crore had been cleared without discussion, describing the move as a “loot of Mumbaikar’s properties”. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has sought suspension of the proposals cleared on Tuesday, alleging that democratic norms were disregarded.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
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