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Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Scrap approval for Dharavi redevpt masterplan: Congress MP to CM
Mumbai: Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday and submitted a letter demanding that the govt's approval given last week for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project's (DRP) masterplan be scrapped. She also challenged "Fadnavis and his Adani Sarkar" to hold a public hearing on the masterplan. Posting TOI's ground reports on local resistance to the ongoing eligibility survey in Dharavi on X, she asked how the masterplan was cleared without public consultations or inviting suggestions and objections as mandated under MRTP Act for draft development plans. The project is among the largest urban transformation schemes in the world and is being implemented by Navbharat Mega Developers Private Ltd. It is an SPV between the state govt and Adani group , which holds 80% stake. Speaking to TOI, the project's CEO, SVR Srinivas, clarified that the masterplan was not a development plan (DP) and that public suggestions and objections would be invited when changes are made in the future to the Dharavi DP, which was published in 2016. "The masterplan lays out the broad strategy. It is not a DP which gives details on land use. There is an existing DP for Dharavi which was published in 2016. When changes are made to that 2016 Dharavi DP, we will be inviting suggestions and objections," said Srinivas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Après 60 ans, vos genoux vous font souffrir ? Essayez ceci Confort genou Undo He also said the masterplan was based on the 2016 DP. "There is over 90% consonance between the 2016 DP and the masterplan," he said. Gaikwad referred to the project as a "mega land-grab". "This is not a development plan but a master-plan for the most unjust mass displacement in urban India's history," she said on X. She also called it "Adani's Dharavi Vinash Master Plan." Gaikwad said barely 40% of the survey documentation work was complete after three years, an indication of the "massive public unrest" about the project. She also asked why the survey was being conducted by "Adani's men" instead of the land-owning govt agencies, as is the case in such projects. "Threats, force, and undue pressure have been put on people to participate in the survey," she alleged. She also said the govt should put the list of those found eligible and ineligible in the public domain. In response, Srinivas told TOI the bulk of local tenements were surveyed. "Around 1 lakh tenements have already been surveyed. Only around 20,000 are remaining. We have issued multiple notices for people to come forward and participate in the survey because we do not want to exclude anyone," said Srinivas. He said the DRP conducted a drone survey in 2023 and a LiDAR survey to map the area. He denied charges that "Adani's men" were conducting the survey to identify eligible tenements. "As in most SRA projects, the survey is being conducted by an agency. It is being financed by the Adani group. But a govt official is present during the survey and all receipts are issued by the govt official," said Srinivas.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Dharavi Redevelopment Project: Dharavi MP Varsha Gaikwad, Opp leaders meet CM; seek masterplan rollback
A delegation led by senior Congress leader and Dharavi Lok Sabha MP Varsha Gaikwad on Monday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and demanded withdrawal of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project's masterplan approved by the government last week, terming it 'undemocratic', 'opaque' and in violation of legal norms. The Opposition delegation met Fadnavis at Sahyadri Guest House and submitted a formal representation alleging that the Dharavi Redevelopment Project — referred to in the letter as the 'Dharavi Vinash Yojana' — was being pushed forward without the consent of Dharavi's residents and in violation of provisions of the MRTP Act. 'We sought the government's approval to the Dharavi plan to be rolled back immediately. The people of Dharavi have not been taken into confidence. They deserve to have a say in shaping their future,' Gaikwad said after the meeting, adding that the approval to the masterplan was done secretively and without disclosure, bypassing essential steps such as public hearings and environmental assessments. The MRTP Act mandates public consultations before preparing any development plan. However, residents were not informed or invited to submit suggestions or objections, the delegation said. The masterplan lacks statutory sanction and is, therefore, unconstitutional and illegal, it argued. The memorandum said that so far only 15,171 households have been surveyed and the surveys were allegedly conducted three years ago, many done by private contractors or institutes without a clear mechanism for public verification. The memorandum also alleged the masterplan lacks clarity on ownership and rights and hence is potentially exploitative. The delegation accused the government of prioritising profit over people. The delegation demanded that apart from withdrawing the masterplan, the government must restart the planning process under the MRTP Act with proper public notices, hearings and transparency, and demanded that a fresh, third-party survey and audit of the area be conducted. 'I am not opposing redevelopment,' Gaikwad clarified. 'But this is not how it should be done. No democratic process can allow such a large-scale transformation without public participation. Dharavi must not be seen as real estate but as a living community,' she said, adding that the government must ensure full legal rights and consent from residents before taking any further steps.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Health
- United News of India
Maha: Congress MP Gaikwad expresses shock over condition of health services in suburban Mumbai
Mumbai, May 31 (UNI) City Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad on Saturday expressed shock over the current condition of suburban health services in Mumbai and questioned where did the Health department's Rs 7K crore fund go. Responding to questions after visiting Bhabha Hospital in suburban Bandra and interacting with citizens there, she said, "The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is one of the richest municipal corporations in the country. The Corporation presented a budget of Rs 74,000 crore this year, of which Rs 7,000 crore has been allocated for the Health department, but the condition of suburban health services in Mumbai is very bad. If even basic facilities cannot be provided to patients, then where exactly did the municipal corporation's money go." The BMC had assured that it would not inaugurate the hospital without providing facilities like cathlab, nephrology, neurology, cardiac and blood bank in this building, but till date these facilities have not been started. In 2024-25, a provision of Rs 12 crore was made for medicines, which has been reduced to Rs six crore this year. Tenders for medicines have not been floated for 14 months. There are ICU, trauma ICU, and pediatric ICU departments in the intensive care unit, but there are no doctors available. Also, the number of beds in the intensive care unit is very less compared to the hospital beds. Furthermore, 2D UCO machine is not available, pathology facility is also closed, she complained. There are no facilities available in these suburban hospitals for tests like CT scan, MRI, she alleged and said if such tests are required, patients have to go out at a huge expense. The state government-appointed administrator in BMC is playing with the health of Mumbaikars, Ms Gaikwad alleged and demanded that the state government and the BMC administrator should answer why Mumbaikars are not getting good health facilities despite the provision of Rs 7,000 crore. "This money is going into whose pockets," she asked. UNI VKB SS
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pro-Pak post: College makes special arrangements for student to appear for remaining papers after HC raps govt for arrest
City-based Sinhgad Academy of Engineering has made special arrangements for the second-year IT student to appear for her semester examination, following the Bombay High Court's strong observations against her arrest and rustication over a social media post on Indo-Pak hostilities. The HC, on Tuesday, granted bail to the 19-year-old student and ordered her immediate release while rebuking the Maharashtra government for its 'radical' reaction to her post. She was granted bail by a vacation bench of Justices Gauri Godse and Somasekhar Sundaresan, who called the Maharashtra government's action against her 'absolutely shocking' and said she had been treated like a hardened criminal. The college has now complied with the high court's order to allow the student to appear for her remaining exams on May 29, May 31 and June 3. KM Gaikwad, vice-principal, said, 'She will be given a separate seating area with a designated supervisor. One male and one female guard will be present for her safety on campus. However, her transit security from home to college is not our responsibility.' The student, who was arrested on May 9, had missed two papers scheduled for May 24 and 27. The college said it awaits instructions from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), to which it is affiliated, regarding whether she can reappear for the missed exam papers. The student was arrested by Kondhwa police under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — including Sections 152, 196, 197, 352, 299, and 353 after a group of individuals affiliated with a Hindu right-wing group approached the police. The petitioner claimed she had reposted the social media post without ill intent and immediately apologised. On May 7, the girl reposted a post on Instagram from an account called 'Reformistan', which criticised the Indian government for provoking a war against Pakistan. Within two hours she deleted the post after receiving a barrage of threats. On May 9 the college issued a rustication letter against her. Gaikwad said after the incident, the college formed a disciplinary action committee and rusticated the student in consultation with the head office. 'I contacted her father, but she left, and her family didn't respond,' Gaikwad said. He clarified that the college did not file any police complaint. 'We are unaware who approached the police. Our action was limited to internal disciplinary measures,' he said. Her uncle said the family was relieved by the court's decision and that the student was focused on her exam preparation. 'Her father and I will accompany her to college and wait outside until the exam ends. Police have assured us of security arrangements,' he said.
India Today
6 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Congress says Mumbai property tax up by 20%, slams civic body
The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday lashed out at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for an increase in the property tax rates in the city. The party said that tax rates were increased without revising the Capital Value System (CVS), terming the move 'a shameless loot'.Terming the tax hike as a loot and betrayal of the trust of residents, Mumbai Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad said that the BMC has clearly violated the Supreme Court directives with the new tax revising the Capital Value rules — as ordered by the Supreme Court, and without reassessing taxpayers, the BMC has started processing new property tax bills, with an unjust 13–20 per cent hike for 2025–26," she wrote in a post on X. Gaikwad said that the Supreme Court had struck down some rules of the capital value-based system and directed the BMC to revise them, reassess taxable values from 2010/15 onwards, and refund overcharged amounts to citizens."Without doing any of this, the BMC has begun processing fresh bills with the steep, arbitrary hike — over and above the already inflated values. This is contempt of court," Gaikwad tax is one of the highest sources of revenue for the Mumbai civic body. The last property tax revision was expected in 2020 but was Congress Counsellor Asif Zakaria said the property tax rates in the BMC area have increased across the city by 13 to 40 per cent with the last revision being made in 2015-16. He also announced that he would file a contempt petition against BMC for the property rate hike.'As per the High Court order, the BMC has to refund inflated property tax collected from 2010-14. This correction would lead to a 40 per cent reduction in property tax bills from 2010 to 2025. Without finalising rules and refunds, BMC has arbitrarily increased the 40 per cent tax on already inflated bills. BMC has shown no intent to follow judicial directives. Hence, we will move contempt,' he 2024, the civic body decided not to implement new rates based on ready reckoner values, saying the following year would mark the completion of a full five-year cycle, making it more appropriate to apply the revised rates at that the last financial year, a property tax collection of Rs 6,198.05 crore was logged, the highest ever, falling just short of its target of Rs 6,200 crore. Additionally, Rs 178.39 crore has been collected as penalty InMust Watch
