Activists to protest against MCGM's proposed Development Plan

Activists will hold a protest at Azad Maidan here tomorrow against Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai's proposed Development Plan 2034.
On one hand where the corporation is inviting suggestions from the citizens regarding its proposed DP, till April 24, activists are of view that the plan does not benefits people living in slums.
Activists along with Affordable Housing Welfare Organisation of India (AHWOI) and Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MSWA) this morning concluded its month-long programme of telling slum dwellers about the 'ill-effects' of DP.
"People living in slums do not even know what is DP? We have sensitised them and made them aware about this ill- formulated plan," said association's spokesperson Sunil Sharma.

"We conveyed them that this plan will eliminate their legal slums after snatching their lands and its rights. We have spread awareness through 'nukkad nataks' (street plays), rallies and seminars in the past one month. Tomorrow, we will try to persuade MCGM commissioner Sitaram Kunte on the issue," he added.
City-based RTI activist Anil Galgali has also raised the issue and written a letter to Kunte last evening, demanding him to provide adequate staff and infrastructure to receive objection and suggestions from residents.

He questioned that when the civic body, commonly known as BMC, is unable to receive letters properly related to the DP, how can it be possible for it to implement the impractical DP.

"If the BMC is serious about accepting the grievances (on DP) and wants feedbacks, suggestions, objections, then two clerks are not enough looking at the number of people visiting BMC for this purpose everyday," read his letter.
An official from DP department said, "Now each day we are receiving almost 10,000 objection and suggestions, so we need additional staff make its digital entry on our computer system.