Decision on Mumbai cluster development in a month: Chavan

The government proposes to hold a meeting with contractors and builders shortly to discuss the scheme

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today assured state Legislative Assembly that the government will take a decision within a month on the plan for cluster development scheme in Mumbai.

The Lower House was earlier adjourned when some Opposition members from Sena, BJP and MNS, including Eknath Shinde (Sena) and others, sported white apron with slogans for cluster development scheme for Thane, to raise the attention of the House.

Speaker Dilip Walse Patil asked them to remove the apron and take their seats. Amid the protests, he adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

During the adjournment, the Speaker discussed the issue with both treasury and Opposition benches.

After the House resumed, Chavan said the government was expecting a report of a sub-committee by Monday and it would be taken up during the next Cabinet committee meeting and within one month the final result will be decided.

He said the cluster development scheme could not evoke much response and interest among builders in Mumbai.

The government proposed to hold a meeting with contractors and builders shortly to discuss the scheme.

Chavan said once the cluster scheme of Mumbai is thoroughly discussed and a decision taken, only then the government will take up cluster development issues of neighbouring areas like Thane, Mumbra, Pimpri Chinchwad and others.

There were a number of irregularities, encroachments and illegal construction activities identified in Thane and therefore, the government will study the issue of the neighbouring district, Chavan said asserting that the approach to the issue will be practical.

The regularisation of encroachments was not feasible, Chavan told the House.

Opposition Leader Eknath Khadse demanded that Ulhas Nagar and other tier-II cities be included in the scheme and wanted to know whether encroachments will be regularised by the government.