Activists, politicians question Parvati Janata Vasahat TDR approval
Civic activist Vijay Kumbhar has appealed to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to investigate the case.
'The total land of Janata Vasahat is 48 acres, currently occupied by slums. The original owner sold it to a private builder in 2014 for ₹16 crore. In January 2025, it was resold to another builder for ₹85 crore. Strangely, in July 2025, the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) approved TDR for this land with a market value of ₹1,750 crore,' he said.
Kumbhar pointed out that under the existing rules, hilltop and hill slope land is eligible for only 0.25% TDR, but in this case 100% compensation was granted.
BJP leader Ujwal Keskar said, 'If the state government has allotted 100% TDR for Janata Vasahat land, the same rule should apply across the city, including for Biodiversity Park landowners. They would gladly hand over their land to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) under such terms.'
One of the builders, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the process was unusually swift.
'Within just six months, the proposal was submitted to SRA, public notice was issued, the proposal was sent to the state government, and approval for 100% TDR was granted. Many legal and administrative steps were bypassed,' the builder claimed.
While administrative officials have remained silent, some officers confirmed that the TDR will be issued by the civic body. However, they pointed out that PMC's opinion was not sought before the proposal was approved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
16 hours ago
- The Hindu
BMC's ‘pot of sin' smashed, city to taste butter of progress, says Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday (August 16, 2025) signalled a major shift in Mumbai's civic politics, claiming that the BJP-led Mahayuti has exposed years of corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Speaking at Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai and Thane, Mr. Fadnavis said that the ruling alliance had broken the 'pot of sins' that protected those who plundered the civic body and was now focused on unlocking development for the city. Speaking to reporters, he said, 'Change is certain in the BMC. We have smashed the pot of sins of those who looted the corporation and now we have opened the pot of development for the people of Maharashtra. The butter from this pot will now reach the people.' In a pointed attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, the CM remarked, 'After so many years of looting, people of Maharashtra now know very well who was eating the butter from the Mumbai municipal corporation. I do not need to add more words.' His comments came a day after Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena would contest upcoming civic elections together. The undivided Shiv Sena had controlled the cash-rich BMC for 25 straight years until 2022. The Dahi Handi festival, celebrated across Maharashtra to mark Lord Krishna's birth, saw enthusiastic participation despite rains with govindas (participants) forming human pyramid to break the handi (pot). Folk music and dance like Lavani were organised across the State to mark the festivities like every year. In Dadar, a group of women also broke the pot and won a trophy. 'The govindas' spirit has not been dampened. We want everyone to celebrate the festivities with safety,' Mr. Fadnavis said. In Ghatkopar, BJP MLA Ram Kadam dedicated a dahi handi to the security personnel who took part in Operation Sindoor, India's retaliatory strike in Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack. 'Just as our security forces broke Pakistan's handi of sins, we have dedicated the celebration to honour the bravery of our jawans who fought in the battle ground,' Mr. Fadnavis added. The Mahayuti government had recognised Dahi Handi as an adventure sport in 2022 and introduced insurance cover for the participants. Later in the day, addressing the govindas at the Tembi Naka Mitra Mandal event in Thane, Mr. Fadnavis praised Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and called him a 'true Shiv Sainik of Balasaheb Thackeray' who is carrying forward the legacy of late Sena leader Anand Dighe.
Hindustan Times
20 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘We broke Handi of corruption': Mahayuti sounds poll bugle
MUMBAI: Blazing a new campaign trail ahead of local body elections in the state, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is tapping into festivals deeply cherished by Maharashtrians, starting with Janmashtami on Saturday, to win hearts – and votes. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis visited a total of 14 Janmashtami Dahi Handi events in Mumbai and Thane. (Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) With nine municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) up for elections, where the contest is expected to be fierce, the alliance cashed in on the Dahi Handi festival in a big way on Saturday. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended as many as 14 Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai, Thane and Bhiwandi, while his deputy and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde attended nine, most of them in Thane. Sounding the bugle for the polls, Fadnavis was blatant about the Mahayuti's new and admittedly ingenious strategy. 'Change is imminent in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation this year as we have broken the 'Handi of corruption' in the civic body,' said Fadnavis, in a veiled reference to the Shiv Sena-UBT, which has ruled the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for more than 25 years. 'With the help of 'development Handi' to be placed in BMC, we want to give a piece of development to the common people of Mumbai,' said the chief minister, at a Janmashtami celebration at Worli organised by BJP leader Santosh Pande. On Saturday, Fadnavis visited seven Janmashtami Dahi Handi events each, in Mumbai and Thane, organised by sitting MLAs and other BJP and Sena leaders. He jointly presided over a celebration with Shinde at Tembhi Naka, organised by Sena MLA Balaji Kinikar. Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar attended nine Dahi Handi events organised in party strongholds, including Ghatkopar, Borivali and Malad. 'Most of the big Dahi Handi mandals are linked to the ruling parties and their leaders such as Pratap Sarnaik, Prakash Surve and Ram Kadam. The presence of their senior leadership at the celebrations has helped the Mahayuti alliance reach out to lakhs of voters, especially Marathi-speaking people in the MMR,' said a BJP leader. 'Political parties traditionally cash in on these festivals but the Mahayuti alliance is going all out this time as local body elections are around the corner.' The strategy already appears to be paying rich rewards. The Konkan Nagar Raja Govinda Team in Thane set the record of a ten-layer Dahi Handi pyramid. The event was organised by the Sanskruti Yuva Pratishthan Trust mentored by Sena leader and transport minister Pratap Sarnaik. Up next, the BJP plans to use the upcoming Ganapati festival as part of its campaign strategy. The Mahayuti alliance recently gave it the status of a state festival and has announced prizes and funding worth ₹11.5 crore to Ganesh Mandals and people associated with the festival across the state. 'Through this drive, the BJP aims to connect with thousands of Ganesh Mandals and the devotees associated with them,' a BJP leader said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Bailey bridges set to bring year-round connectivity to 14 Gadchiroli villages
Nagpur: From next monsoon onwards, over a dozen villages in Gadchiroli will no longer remain cut off from civilization due to floodwaters, as the government is set to start construction on advanced modular versions of the 'bailey bridge' in two talukas. Since time immemorial, every monsoon has seen over a hundred villages in remote parts of the district get marooned for either days or weeks, bringing life to a complete standstill in the hard-to-access regions. One of the bridges will be built on the Laheri-Hodi-Lashkar road in Bhamragarh at a cost of nearly Rs 20 crore. The second bridge will be built on the Permili–Yermanar–Kodsepalli–Mandra–Damrancha road in Aheri taluka and is slated to cost around Rs 18 crore. Both projects will be handled by the state Public Works Department. Avishyant Panda, district collector of Gadchiroli, said, "The two bailey bridges will be built in Bhamragarh and Aheri talukas. After completion, these bridges will provide year-round connectivity to 14 villages, out of the 112 that get cut off during monsoon-related flooding." Gadchiroli district sees the confluence of three rivers and has a hilly terrain, with road connectivity seeing improvement only in the last decade. District collector Avishyant Panda said that the projects were approved in 2018 by then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, but were delayed due to design changes, cost escalations, and the need for revised estimates. Panda said, "All approvals have now come, and we expect the construction to be complete before next monsoon." For the people of these far-flung tribal villages, the bridges would mean an end to arduous boat crossings and treks through forested floodplains during the rainy season. The improved connectivity will also boost the delivery of government welfare schemes and encourage economic activity in a region often held back by its difficult terrain. WHAT IS A BAILEY BRIDGE? Bailey bridges are modular, prefabricated truss bridges developed during World War II for quick assembly without the need for heavy equipment. Made of lightweight steel panels that can be bolted together on-site, they are ideal for remote areas or emergencies — a perfect fit for Gadchiroli's challenging monsoon conditions. With the advancement in technology, they are now more sturdy than its WW-2 original version. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
