Girish Vyas case: Zagade moots a solution

It was more than a decade ago that Girish Vyas of Vyas Construction and son-in-law of former chief minister Manohar Joshi,had submitted building plans on behalf of the land owner,seeking permission for construction on plot no. 110,Prabhat Road in Erandwane. The PMC had refused him permission on the grounds that the plot was reserved for a primary school. However,the state government later ordered the civic chief to inspect the land and submit a report if any compromise is possible.

Then PMC commissioner Ramanath Jha submitted a report,offering an alternative site in Mundhwa-Lohegaon,which was accepted. The file was placed before then chief minister Manohar Joshi to relax conditions preventing the shifting of reservation beyond 200 metres under Section 13.5 of development control (DC) rules of PMC. Joshi endorsed the plan.

The Urban Development Department then directed the PMC to allow the developer to go ahead with the construction of the building. The developer deposited Rs 25 lakh with the PMC and the land at Mundhwa was handed over to the civic body to change the reservation. Civic activist Vijay Kumbhar then approached Bombay High Court seeking a stay on use of the building.

The HC bench comprising Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice S S Parkar,in March 1999,had ordered the PMC to cancel the commencement certificate for the construction of the apartment. The court had also ordered PMC to ask Vyas and his construction company to restore the plot to its original position or demolish the construction. Later,the order was stayed following an appeal filed in the Supreme Court.

The procedure of the case and the judgement had become a serious political issue as Manohar Joshi was made a respondent along with others. Following the uproar,Joshi had to ultimately resign from his post in January 1999. Now,the case has come up for consideration afresh at the municipal level.