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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Illegal constructions will not be spared, strict action against erring officials: Maharashtra deputy CM
MUMBAI : The Maharashtra government will not support any illegal constructions and take strict action against officials found complicit in allowing such structures to come up, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said in the legislative assembly on Monday. Replying to a query raised by Parag Alavani (BJP) during the Question Hour, he said instructions will be issued to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner to prepare a detailed list and classification of illegal constructions in the metropolis. "If any officer is found protecting illegal structures, stringent action will be initiated against him," warned Shinde, who holds urban development and housing portfolios. Members Yogesh Sagar, Jitendra Awhad, Dilip Walse Patil, Varun Sardesai, Murji Patel and Ajay Choudhary were among those who raised supplementary questions related to the issue. Referring to actions already taken, Shinde stated that many unauthorized constructions in the adjoining Vasai-Virar region have been demolished by the local municipal corporation, while some have been spared for the time being as their owners have obtained temporary court stays. "Once the legal stays are lifted, those structures, too, will be removed," he said. The deputy CM noted that due to the ongoing monsoon and habitation by people, immediate action on some unauthorized constructions has been delayed, but assured demolition drives would resume post-rainy season. Citing a specific instance, Shinde said an unauthorized shed was found built on a BMC-owned plot in Vile Parle (East), which was demolished by the civic body on March 24, 2025. Later, a complaint was received regarding an illegal parking facility operating on the same plot. The BMC took action and cleared the encroachment on June 3, he informed the house. Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal said action against illegal constructions is being taken under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. She urged members to share specific complaints from their constituencies so that authorities concerned can take appropriate action against unauthorised structures. "Officials responsible for failing to act will be held accountable," Misal asserted.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Illegal constructions in Mumbai: Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar asks govt to submit report
Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar Monday directed the state government to submit an action-taken report (ATR) on illegal constructions across various wards of Mumbai before the conclusion of the ongoing Monsoon Session Friday. The directive came in response to a question raised by BJP MLA Parag Alvani, who sought accountability regarding unauthorised construction on a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plot in Vile Parle (East). Responding during the Question Hour, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured the House that stern action would be initiated against erring officials, including assistant municipal commissioners, if found shielding illegal constructions. He said instructions would be issued to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to prepare a category-wise list of unauthorised structures in the city and take necessary action. 'The government will not support any illegal construction. If officials are found protecting such structures, strict action will be taken against them,' Shinde said. The Deputy CM further clarified that while several illegal structures in the Vasai-Virar region have already been demolished, some remain due to stay orders from the courts. 'Those too will be removed as soon as the legal restrictions are lifted,' he said. Shinde, however, noted that immediate action at some locations during the monsoon may not be feasible, as residents are currently occupying these structures. 'After monsoon, we will take steps to remove even those constructions,' he added. Referring to the case flagged by Alvani, Shinde informed the House that unauthorised sheds had been erected on BMC-owned plot number 256 in Vile Parle East. The civic body demolished the sheds on March 24, 2025. A subsequent complaint regarding illegal parking on the same plot led to further action, and the encroachments were cleared on June 3, 2025. Several legislators, including Yogesh Sagar, Jitendra Awhad, Dilip Walse Patil, Varun Sardesai, Murji Patel, Ajay Choudhari, and Bala Nandgaonkar, raised supplementary questions over the issue. Minister of State for Urban Development Sandhya Misal informed the House that action against illegal constructions is being taken under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act. She urged MLAs to report instances from their constituencies, assuring that departmental action would follow and concerned officials would be held accountable.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BMC plan to auction prime plots stalled as two govt bodies want to procure them
Mumbai: Eight months after BMC floated tenders to auction three prime land parcels in Mumbai—at Malabar Hill, Worli, and near Crawford market in Fort—the fate of the proposed sale remains uncertain. The move had marked the first time the civic body opted to auction its own plots, indicating a shift in its strategy to monetise real estate assets and generate long-term revenue. However, the auction process faced multiple hurdles. The plan to auction the Malabar Hill plot was scrapped early on following objections from BEST as the land has high-tension transmission lines running through it. Additionally, over 60 residents from the area raised objections, pointing out that the property card of the plot classifies it as a BMC-owned space designated for a public garden. The civic body then proceeded with plans to auction the remaining two plots. These vacant land parcels are to be leased for 30 years, with a provision for renewal for another 30 years, and are expected to bring in substantial revenue for BMC. However, an official said, Central Railway requested a portion of the plot near Crawford market—for free—to construct a passenger outlet from CSMT via a proposed skywalk. "Since the entire plot was listed for auction, carving out a part of it may not be viable," said a civic official. A high-level meeting on the matter was recently held with the chief secretary, the official added. As for the Worli plot, RBI approached BMC independently, although it did not participate in the bidding process. TOI reached out to RBI for comments but got no response. BMC officials confirmed that while bids were received for the Worli land, the responses are still under review. In Oct last year, when the tender was issued a few days before the model code of conduct for the assembly elections kicked in, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and MLA Aaditya Thackeray opposed the auctions, claiming that BMC is gradually losing control of vital land resources, which could otherwise be used for public infrastructure or amenities.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BMC's 4,000cr waste collection tender bars fgn companies, JVs
Mumbai: In the wake of the row over Turkish-origin robotic life buoys that were to be deployed at six city beaches and the political backlash from BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) over Turkiye's support for Pakistan, BMC's Rs 4,000-crore waste collection and transport tender has barred joint ventures with foreign firms, reports Richa Pinto. Last month, BMC, after almost 15 years, floated the tender to replace 1,000 waste collection vehicles. It also plans to phase out community waste bins over the next 3 years. While civic officials denied political backlash had led to barring of foreign firms, a BMC document accessed by TOI says, "International companies cannot bid directly or through their subsidiaries or in JV." Recently, a pre-bid meet was held for the tender where there were discussions on the Çelebi case. BMC's Rs 4,000-crore waste collection and transport tender, which was floated last month, has barred joint ventures with foreign firms. When contacted, additional municipal commissioner Ashwini Joshi, in charge of the solid waste management department, said it being a labour-intensive work, wherein a large quantum of labourers is required, it has been decided not to allow foreign firms. "Also, as it is a seven-year work, we want to ensure that labourers are available throughout the project period," she said. But recently, a pre-bid meet was held for the tender where there were discussions on the Çelebi case. "The recent challenges being faced in Turkish company Celebi's case is a classic example which teaches that essential public services should not be made open to international firms," states BMC's pre-bid document. Centre has revoked the security clearance of Celebi and its associated companies at airports citing national security concerns. BMC's tender follows a service-based model, where a single agency will manage both wa-ste collection and transport us-ing high-capacity, colour-coded vehicles, 10–15% of which will be electric. Currently, contracts are of two types: service-based, where the contractor owns the collection system; and hiring-based, where vehicles are provided by the contractor and the infrastructure is BMC-owned. Managing multiple systems has posed coordination challenges, said BMC, adding that service-based contracts are estimated to be 25% more cost-effective than hiring-based ones. Hence, service-based contracts are being proposed across all wards except L (Kurla), M-East (Govandi), and M-West (Chembur), all of which are areas closer to Kanjurmarg and Deonar dumping grounds. There are also plans to phase out community bins, which officials said would be done over a period of time through education and awareness activities, which are also part of the contract.
