When would you decide on Hiranandani proposals, HC asks govt

Division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice A V Mohta was earlier informed that while the city planning body MMRDA had already given approval, the civic body and the state government were yet to take a decision.

"The decision of the Tree Authority, High Rise Committee and State Environment Impact Assessment Committee is pending. The corporation and state government shall inform by January 31 by when a decision would be taken," the court today said.

The HC, in February last year, had directed Hiranandani to construct 1,511 flats of 40 square meters and 1,593 flats of 80 square meters area each without amalgamating any flats before undertaking any other construction work in Powai township.

The directions were passed during the hearing of a bunch of public interest litigations filed by social activist Medha Patkar and city residents Kamlakar Satve and Rajendra Tahcker, which alleged that Hiranandani got around the condition in land allotment agreement with the state that it would build flats for weaker section of the society, by amalgamating smaller flats and selling them to richer buyers.

In April 2012, HC directed Hiranandani to submit to BMC plans for building low-cost flats.