Representational Image: Mumbai's Skyline
A day after scrapping the Mumbai Development Plan 2034, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, today, said an inquiry will be conducted to ascertain whether the errors that had crept in the draft were intentional or not.
The decision to shelve the Development Plan 2034 was taken by the state cabinet yesterday, following which the Chief Minister directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), also known as BMC, to prepare a fresh plan within four months.
"We have received the recommendations of the committee on the plan and accordingly we have taken the decision. I have now asked Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshtriya to find out whether there were any intentional errors committed during the preparation of the draft plan," Mr Fadnavis told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai.
Earlier, the government had set up a three-member committee headed by Mr Kshtriya to examine flaws in the controversial plan.
He said the committee has identified areas where blatant errors had been committed, especially with regard to open space, and therefore, it is necessary to ascertain whether there were any errors made intentionally.
Meanwhile, BJP's ally in the state, Shiv Sena has also demanded a probe into the matter and action against those found guilty in preparation of the flawed Development Plan.
"The plan was not prepared by the BMC. For us BMC means the 'House' comprising the Mayor and 227 corporators and not the administration, which has prepared the draft of the DP. Therefore, BMC cannot be held responsible for this blunder," senior Shiv Sena leader and state Industries Minister Subhash Desai said.
He said the Municipal Commissioner, Additional Commissioner, the consultants appointed by them and other officials who were involved in preparing the DP are not 'BMC', hence, a probe into the matter should be carried and those found guilty should be penalised.
"If they (the administrative authorities) would have consulted the BMC and if it would have given its consent, then the BMC would be responsible for the plan. But instead they released the draft plan in their own capacity without informing the BMC," Mr Desai said.
The chief minister yesterday directed the civic body to rework on the plan and republish it within the next four months for suggestions and objections from the citizens.
"The BMC will have to incorporate the recommendations and make the necessary changes and republish the document for recommendations. The state has no role to play in formulating the plan. It is the BMC's duty to do it, whereas our role comes if there are any legal flaws," he said.
The realty industry, on the other hand has raised concerns after the scrapping the draft DP saying that it has created further confusion and such a decision would affect new project launches creating shortage of housing stock.
Mr Desai, however, clarified that till the new plan is in place the old plan will continue to be applicable.
"There is a lot of confusion among the real estate industry as to what will happen now as there is no plan in place. But we would like to assure that in the absence of a new DP, the old plan continues to be applicable. At the same time, we have also decided that in case there is a conflict of interest regarding any reservation, we will resort to the principle of "strictest of the two" approach," he said.
The Development Plan had proposed a considerable hike in Mumbai's Floor Space Index (FSI) and also opened up the so far protected south Mumbai for utilisation of transfer of development rights as floating FSI.
The overall increase in bulk FSI was linked to proximity to mass transit modes but not indexed to provision of physical and social infrastructure.
The draft Development Plan had drawn criticism from various quarters that it is ridden with flaws and shows little concern for the heritage structures of the city from colonial era.