The Times of India          17.02.2014

Navi Mumbai civic body expecting land parcel worth Rs 1,000 cr from Cidco

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is banking on creating asset whose value would be in the range of Rs 1,000 crore from the land that the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) is expected to handover them.

Speaking to TOI after presenting the civic budget, NMMC chief Abasaheb Jarhad said, "We are expecting Cidco to handover nearly 400 plots to the NMMC. The plots given by Cidco will be used for health, education and other public services. Once these plots are transferred to the NMMC, the civic body is likely to create a land bank whose value would be nearly Rs 1,000 crore."

When asked about the civic body's plans to utilize the land bank, Jarhad said that it is too early to speak about the road map. "But, satellite city is growing at a rapid pace. Soon, it will need more hospitals, educational institutions and public utility services. So, utilization of these plots will be planned accordingly," added Jarhad.

However, urban planner do not see these plan materializing anytime soon as there is unseen tension between the two government agencies-CIDCO and NMMC. "The tussle and lack of coordination between two agencies certainly affects the region," one of the urban experts said on condition of anonymity. He added that unless this tension is eased, CIDCO handing over the plots to NMMC would not happen anytime soon.

In fact, the two agencies are at loggerheads to such extend that last year in December, NMMC corporators demanded the ouster of CIDCO from the satellite city. NCP corporator Vaibhav Gaikwad had on record crticised CIDCO for putting hurdles in the development work of the NMMC.

However, Jarhad refuted the allegation and claimed that he is quite confident of getting these plots from the CIDCO in coming years.

According to the political observers, Thane guardian minister Ganesh Naik and his family members' controls reins of Navi Mumbai region. "But the Naik clan has failed to make material impact or control CIDCO's administration," the political observer added. CIDCO is part of the urban development department (UD) and chief minister Prithviraj Chavan heads the UD department. While NCP heavyweight from Navi Mumbai--Naik is state excise minister in Prithviraj Chavan led DF government.

We are expecting Cidco to handover nearly 400 plots to the NMMC. The plots given by Cidco will be used for health, education and other public services. Once these plots are transferred , the civic body is likely to create a land bank whose value would be nearly Rs 1,000 crore.