Bhayandar: A year after its validity came to an end, the fate of Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s (MBMC) proposed development continues to hang in balance. Stung by the delay, the state government has stripped MBMC’s power of formulating the development plan (DP) by handing over the responsibility to Thane’s Asst Director of Town Planning (ADTP). As a result, some nervous builders, who had allegedly staged the mess to ensure the DP hits a dead end to protect their self-interests, have now changed their goal post to Thane, sources said.
The DP came into effect in 1997 and a new 20-year fresh vision document was mandated to be ratified before January 9, 2018, in accordance to the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning rules. MBMC’s town planning wing had shouldered the responsibility of preparing the DP by scrutinising the existing land use and other parameters including a comprehensive open spaces policy, healthcare, education and social amenities as required under the standards of the Urban Development Plans Formulation and Implementation guidelines.
However, after the abrupt transfer of the designated town planning officer, the process was mysteriously kept on hold by his successor for the past more than a year, as the civic administration awaited government directions in the wake of accusations over parts of the DP going viral on social media even before it could take off from the drawing boards. Blaming the administration for the inordinate delay, the Joint Director of Town Planning (Konkan division) in his order has conferred discretionary powers to the Thane ADTP for taking the DP to its logical conclusion. The move effectively robs powers of the BJP-ruled MBMC which is contemplating to knock judicial doors.
