Mumbai, October 22: In a setback for the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the BJP joined the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) in opposing three controversial proposals at Thursday’s BMC Improvement Committee meeting, raising questions over alleged irregularities and potential civic losses. Chairperson Sandhya Doshi reserved her decisions on all three proposals following the cross-party resistance.
The proposals involved the redevelopment of a Worli plot, a 30-year lease of civic land and an extension of the medicine shop contract at civic-run KEM Hospital. Members warned of potential financial losses to the BMC, prompting Doshi to reserve her decisions. BJP corporator Prakash Gangadhare demanded greater transparency and scrutiny of the proposals.
Cross-Party Opposition To Proposals
Corporators across party lines alleged that proposals billed as revenue-generating measures would instead cause financial losses to the BMC, alleging a nexus between officials and contractors. All members opposed extending the KEM Hospital medicine shop contract.
Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Sachin Padwal questioned the civic body’s revenue strategy, while Gangadhare alleged that the proposals were designed to benefit developers at the BMC’s expense.
Objections To Civic Land Lease
Two BMC land proposals in Lower Parel and Worli faced opposition, with corporators questioning the tender process, valuation and urgency. A proposal to lease the civic body’s 5,166-square-metre testing laboratory plot for 30 years, extendable by another 30 years, drew objections from Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Vitthal Lokare, who questioned the haste despite only two bidders and demanded details of the recommended agency.
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Worli Redevelopment Deal Questioned
Another proposal seeks to redevelop the 3,908.72-square-metre Khanna Construction House plot in Worli, reportedly valued at Rs 400 crore, by leasing it to a private developer for 60 years at the ready reckoner rate. Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi and Gangadhare opposed the deal, demanding greater scrutiny and cancellation of the tender process.
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