The Times of India  31.08.2010

MUMBAI: Already under fire for its slow acquisition of public land meant for amenities such as gardens, recreation grounds and welfare centres, an `illegal' purchase notice served on the BMC for a plot in Mazgaon kicked up a storm at a civic improvements committee meeting on Monday.

The notice for the 3,000 sq m of plot reserved for the purpose of a garden is set to lapse on October 13. Members alleged, the plot was subleased by the original lessee to a third party who served the notice on the BMC.

"This confirms that the BMC is doing little to stop owners and residents gearing up to stake `fictitious' claims to titles of reserved amenity plots before the new development plan (DP) comes into effect in 2011,'' said Congress corporator Vinod Shekhar. The notice will be taken up for discussion in the next meeting.

Under Sec 127 of the MRTP Act, citizens and societies can claim ownership if a reserved plot is not acquired by the state within 10 years of the inception of DP plans. The owner or any person interested in the land, then gets the right to claim his interest and if the state fails to acquire it in less than 12 months, the land is deemed available for owners' use.

The BMC has, so far, only acquired less than 15% of the land reserved for public amenities under the current Development Plan (DP).