Shiv Sena-BJP plot a new dispute

MUMBAI, January 28: Control of prime property is the latest bone of contention between the Shiv Sena and BJP now. The alliance partners h...

MUMBAI, January 28: Control of prime property is the latest bone of contention between the Shiv Sena and BJP now. The alliance partners have locked horns over four plots of land in the city that are now in the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority MHADA. Their no-holds barred tussle arises from the starkly differing plans and designs the two parties have on these plots. Tension between them is likely to intensify and reach the state cabinet soon, sources said.

The state cabinet, already burdened by differences over other issues, will have to decide on the 8220;appropriate use8221; for at least three of these four plots. An explosive MHADA board meeting on Wednesday saw a free-for-all between MHADA president and Sena man Vilas Avchat and chairperson of the Repair and Recontruction Board Madhu Chavan, who belongs to the BJP. Sena members tabled a proposal to return vacant land worth crores of rupees at Bandra reclamation 8211; the most prime of the plots 8211; to the state government,which was opposed by Chavan and other BJP members.

MHADA acquired the land, survey number 791 measuring 117 acres, in 1964 from the state government. Housing minister Suresh Dada Jain first set the ball rolling by writing to housing secretary V P Raja on December 16 last year seeking that the land be returned to the government.

Sources say two different proposals to develop this plot are pending with the state government since last year. Film-maker Firoz Nadiadwala planned to construct a multicomplex for films while diamond merchant and film financier Bharat Shah, also known for his affiliation to the Thackerays, proposed to develop an amusement park. The government postponed taking a decision partly because the land belonged to MHADA.

The BJP contends that MHADA should have the priority to develop its own land for affordable housing for lower income groups rather than hand it to the government for other projects. 8220;At this rate, MHADA will not have any land to build cheap houses. Already, MHADA wasarm-twisted into giving Rs 300 crore to the Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp SPPL equity of Rs 600 crore,8221; points out a BJP leader. This apart, added Chavan, MHADA had already handed over 10.5 hectares of land at Malad and Dindoshi to the government for the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme. 8220;If MHADA continues doling out its land and money, it will not be able to implement any of its housing schemes,8221; he told Express Newsline.

Though the Bandra Reclamation plot issue rests with the state government now, the BJP was able to successfully block two other proposals at the meeting, both of which pertained to developing land for SPPL housing. One was for land worth nearly Rs 5.65 crore at Kandivli, while the other was for a Mulund plot estimated at Rs 6.5 crore. 8220;We will bring these up again,8221; Avchat said.

However, Avchat did manage to push one proposal through: to hand over land worth Rs 36 crore in Malad to the government. This plot will be given to Goregaon-based Prabodhan Society for development, andMHADA is expecting a quid pro quo plot from the government elsewhere in the city. When this proposal was also blocked by the BJP, Avachat put the proposal to vote. Significantly, housing secretary Raja voted in favour while MHADA vice-president Swadheen Kshatriya aligned himself with the BJP and voted against it. This makes the Sena tally one out of four. The action now moves to the state cabinet.