Sena questions time frame given to BMC for fresh Development Plan

Ruling alliance partner Shiv Sena today hailed the scrapping of Mumbai Development Plan 2034, even as it questioned the time frame of four months given by Maharashtra government to BMC to prepare a fresh version.

Alleging that Mumbai is being constantly looted, the Sena said the blueprint, which was replete with errors, had no developmental agenda for the city.

"That is why we were opposing the Development Plan (DP). It's good that the CM consigned this sin of DP to flames that could have spoilt the city," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

The state government had on Tuesday scrapped the controversial Mumbai Development Plan that could have shrunk the city's open spaces and led to increased congestion, in the face of stiff opposition from political parties and social activists.

The decision to shelve the Development Plan 2034 was taken at a meeting of the state Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to prepare a fresh plan within four months.

"The state government has asked the BMC to correct the mistakes in the DP and submit a reworked plan within four months. This plan had atleast 10,000 mistakes in it. How can so many mistakes be corrected and a new plan be made in such a short span of time? Mumbai is not a gram panchayat. The city's population has touched 1.25 crore and this has affected the facilities being provided to citizens," the Sena said.

There are multi-storey towers being built in the city, the Sena said and asked how will they be provided amenities like drinking water, health facilities, roads and drainage.

"The BMC should only pick up waste of the city and ensure water and air pollution is stopped. If a major chunk of BMC revenue goes to the Central government coffers and the remaining is spent on paying salaries, how much will be left for the city's development?" it further asked.

"For the rejuvenation of Ganga river, the Prime Minister has invited Japanese companies to Varanasi. We do not ask for money from foreign nations, but only the money which is due to Mumbai. We have not got it for so many years," rued the Sena which controls the Mumbai civic body along with the BJP.