‘CRZ rules flouted in Nariman Point’

BJP legislator Vinod Tawde’s Right To Information (RTI) query got two contradictory replies about a SRA project.

One says that there is no Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) permission given to a Slum Redevelopment project in a prime Nariman Point area while a reply on the floor of the state assembly says that all necessary permissions to the project have been given.

The plot in question is on a prime land right next to the Manora hostel for members of the legislative assembly where a private developer is implementing a slum redevelopment authority (SRA) scheme for the rehabilitation of adjoining Mahatma Phule slum colony.

In February last year, when Tawde questioned the state environment and forests department about the CRZ permissions given to the plot, he received a negative answer.

“I was told in a written reply that there has been no such proposal,” said Tawde.

However, to his surprise, when he raised the same issue through a Legislative Assembly Question (LAQ) barely two months later during the state assembly session, the then chief minister Ashok Chavan said that all the necessary permissions for the project have been taken by the developer.

“It is not possible to get such vital permissions within two months,” said Tawde.

He further alleged that the developer was also trying to illegally reclaim land right under the nose of the MLA hostel. “However, when the developer realised that this could be questioned, he quietly handed over the land to the state public works department (PWD) which is in charge of maintenance of Manora,” said Tawde.
The plot is a whooping 36,000 sq feet and the developer— Ace Links — has already constructed a few floors on the same.
While the adjoining plots 150-A and 153-A are partially reserved for a recreation ground as well as parking and CNG filling station respectively.

“The developer has started constructing the residential/commercial tower, but there is no sign of any rehabilitation of the slum dwellers who are at present based on 150-A and 153-A.

“Documentary evidence available with me shows that the city collector had already written to the SRA in February 2007 about the CRZ permissions being essential for any development on any of these plots.

“However, this seems to have been overlooked by the officials who are hand in glove with the developer,” alleged Tawde. Many attempts to reach Danish Merchant — one of the owners of Ace Links —   were unsuccessful.