Navi Mumbai News: Nerul Residents Hold Torch Protest Over Garden Plot Marked As Parking Zone

Nerul: Residents of Sector 22 in Nerul staged a torch protest on Wednesday evening, alleging that a plot originally reserved for a garden had been wrongly shown as a parking zone, for which a tender had already been passed and work orders issued. The protest erupted after residents found that two departments of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) had presented conflicting Development Plan (DP) maps for the same site.

Residents Question Conflicting DP Maps

A delegation from the Sector 22 Citizens’ Forum met NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde on Monday and raised concerns about Plots 12C and 12D, which the Town Planning Department’s DP labels as ‘Garden.’ Residents said the Commissioner assured them of an immediate inquiry.

However, according to the forum, the City Engineering Department produced a revised DP showing the same land as ‘Parking,’ and officials reportedly stated that the ongoing work would not be halted.

Forum Alleges Lack of Transparency

“When two departments of the same corporation show two different DP plans, it is not just confusing—it is alarming. If even the Commissioner and Town Planning Department had no knowledge of this parking tender, citizens have every right to question how such decisions are being taken,” said Adv. Mangala Ajinkya Gharat, a resident and representative of the forum.

Residents said senior officials in the Town Planning Department confirmed that no remarks, permissions or approvals were issued for any change in land use. Despite this, the Engineering Division allegedly cleared trees and began preparatory work on the plot.

Citizens Demand Immediate Halt to Work

Calling the contradictions a failure of internal coordination and transparency within the civic system, residents demanded an immediate halt to the parking project and restoration of the garden reservation. The forum has also sought a detailed investigation into how a tender and work order were issued for a reserved garden plot.

“Our kids do not have a garden in this area to play, and the only hope was this patch of land that was to be converted into a garden,” said another resident.

Civic Officials Yet to Clarify

Calls to NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde and City Engineer Shirish Aradwad for clarification went unanswered.

A senior NMMC official said, “The DP plan with the Town Planning Department shows the plot as a proposed garden, but when CIDCO handed over the land to the City Engineering Department, it was marked as parking. There is another plot opposite this one also marked for parking, so the corporation will take a final call based on the area’s needs. If required, we can also plan both. The decision will be made as per due legal procedure.”

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