Taking a tough stand against encroachments, Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan today instructed the Municipal Corporation to remove them.
In a meeting in Mumbai to plan the city' infrastructure, Chavan admitted a nexus between police, politicians and the BMC officials which encourages encroachments, an official from the housing department said.
The chief minister asked the BMC commissioner to deal with any such matter while removing the encroachments and said that the slum growth has to stop urgently to plan proper infrastructure in the city, the official said.
In the state legislature session here last month, the chief minister made an announcement to conduct a land audit every two years and satellite mapping of encroachments. However, the Congress-led state government has filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting the legalisation of slums built till 2000.
Looking at the rapid expansion of the city, Chavan asked the urban development officials to also consider neighbouring cities like Pune and Nashik while planning infrastructure for Mumbai.
A Singapore-based consultant Surbana Corporation, today gave a presentation on the development of the city to Chavan and other officials in Mantralaya.
The consultant has suggested decentralisation of development, environment management, reclamation of Thane creek to get more land, connecting the city and a new airport near Revas.
