Hindustan Times 18.11.2010
BMC has only 15 days to save Juhu open plotThere are only 15 days left for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to save an open space in Juhu. The deadline for purchasing a 7,441 sq metre open plot at Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) scheme worth Rs 63 crore, which has been reserved partially to build a recreation ground (RG) and partially to build a road is December 3.
The proposal to purchase the plot was brought up before the civic improvements committee two months ago and was cleared. However, the BMC is yet to start the process to purchase the plot even though the owner, JVPD Cooperative Housing Association had issued a one-year notice in December 4, 2009.
The BMC did not initiate the process by paying the owner, as per rules of the development plan. The owner can take back the plot if the BMC fails to purchase it before the deadline. If that happens, the city may lose one more reserved open space in the development plan.
Manoj Kotak, chairman of the civic improvements committee, has written a letter to mayor Shraddha Jadhav reminding her about taking up the proposal before the general body meeting.
There is another plot in Juhu, reserved for an international library, that needs to be purchased.
The purchase notice of the 2,980 sq metre international library plot also owned by JVPD Cooperative Housing Association, was issued on February 19 and will end on February 18, 2011. It is worth Rs 18 crore and located in JVPD Scheme. Both plots are vacant, without any encroachments.
The fate of these plots will be decided at a civic general body meeting scheduled on November 25. “The decision on purchasing the two plots should be taken on a priority basis in the meeting,” said Kotak. On what to expect at the meeting, Jadhav said, “We will take a decision on that in a day or two.”
The owner had served a purchase notice to the BMC asking to buy these plots, failing which it would be free to use them the way it wants.
