TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2012
Mumbai
The Times of India
The caretaker policy will continue to apply to RG plots with over 5,000 sq m area . The draft policy had recommended that for RG plots above 5,000 sq m given on caretaker basis , only 25% would be in the private trust's possession . The remaining 75% would be with the BMC.
The amended draft plan for open spaces states that the caretaker policy will stay and apply to RG plots with an area of more than 5,000 sq m.
BMC's earlier draft open space policy had recommended that only 25% of an open RG plot (5,000 sq m and above) would be in the possession of a private trust if given away on caretaker basis and the remaining 75% would be with the BMC.
Activists objected to 25% of an RG plot remaining with private players, arguing that this would make it vulnerable to commercial exploitation. They also said this was an "ecologically unsound" concept and could cause damage to the city's ecology.
25% LAND FOR PRIVATE TRUSTS RUNNING B.M.C. LAND -MUMBAI
Activists contended that allotting 25% of RG plots to private players would leave them vulnerable to commercial exploitation . It was also suggested in the draft policy that private trusts be asked to pay Rs 3,000/ sq m for the remaining 75% of the RG plot to the BMC, which the civic body would utilize to develop the ground or provide other civic amenities . "There are 7-8 clubs that have got plots on caretaker basis . Their owners have developed open plots given to them . So , this amount will not be imposed on them ," the official said .The amended draft plan for open spaces states that the caretaker policy will stay and apply to RG plots with an area of more than 5,000 sq m.
BMC's earlier draft open space policy had recommended that only 25% of an open RG plot (5,000 sq m and above) would be in the possession of a private trust if given away on caretaker basis and the remaining 75% would be with the BMC.
Activists objected to 25% of an RG plot remaining with private players, arguing that this would make it vulnerable to commercial exploitation. They also said this was an "ecologically unsound" concept and could cause damage to the city's ecology.
A civic official said : "Plots given away on adoption or caretaker basis are reserved public lands . We felt the public has the right to know details of the plots , how they are being developed , how funds are being secured and utilized etc. To make the system more transparent , we proposed to bring private trusts managing open spaces under the RTI Act
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{AS SHOWN IN ABOVE PARAGRAPH-R T I ACT MAY NOT STOP PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS FROM GETTING 25%FREE LAND}
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‘Flawed’ caretaker policy remains
MUMBAI: The caretaker policy on open spaces remains a thorn in activists' side.
The BMC's draft open space guidelines had recommend that for recreation grounds (RGs) above 5,000 sq m, 25% of the plot will be given to a private trust on caretaker basis while the remaining 75% will be with the civic body .
However , despite stiff opposition from activists , the policy has not been changed in the amended draft guidelines .
As of date , point out sources , there are less than 1,000 acres of open space in the form of parks , gardens , playgrounds (PGs) and RGs. Activists say the "flawed caretaker policy" has allowed private builders to take possession of the civic body's open plots and barred the public from accessing them .
Activists objected to the allotment of 25% of RG plots to private players , saying this would make them vulnerable to commercial exploitation .
The improvements committee , too, had reiterated what the activists had saidthat the caretaker policy would favour only private builders with strong financial backing .
"Continuing with this policy will deprive common citizens of large public open spaces . Under the guise of development , the BMC is approving 'destructive' development on open spaces , which should be left open to the sky ," said Ashok Ravat , member of NGO Citispace and the Shivaji Park ALM.
The activists are not too convinced with the adoption policy for RGs and PGs below 5,000 sq m either . While it leaves room for an Advanced Locality Management (ALM) to adopt these plots , the activists call it a "torture chamber" , as citizens will have to garner funds from sponsors .
Citispace plans to create public opinion against the amended draft policy and take up the matter with the government .
Citispace has done a cost estimate for the BMC to maintain and secure open spaces . "It will cost the civic body less than Rs 200 crore . In the following year , the cost will drop by 60 %. Why should citizens beg for sponsorship in order to adopt (plots ) when the BMC can afford to do it by itself ? It is the duty of the BMC, according to the Municipal Act," said Neera Punj , Citispace convener .
Times View
The decision to bring information on private players managing public spaces within the ambit of the RTI Act is welcome. For far too long, private trusts have gone unscrutinized by the public despite the work they do being essentially within the public domain. But the BMC should be more sensitive to the criticism of its caretaker and adoption policies. The objections stem from real concerns about the policies being loaded in favour of big players. The BMC cannot be even seen to be biased when it comes to the management of public spaces.
The BMC's draft open space guidelines had recommend that for recreation grounds (RGs) above 5,000 sq m, 25% of the plot will be given to a private trust on caretaker basis while the remaining 75% will be with the civic body .
However , despite stiff opposition from activists , the policy has not been changed in the amended draft guidelines .
As of date , point out sources , there are less than 1,000 acres of open space in the form of parks , gardens , playgrounds (PGs) and RGs. Activists say the "flawed caretaker policy" has allowed private builders to take possession of the civic body's open plots and barred the public from accessing them .
Activists objected to the allotment of 25% of RG plots to private players , saying this would make them vulnerable to commercial exploitation .
The improvements committee , too, had reiterated what the activists had saidthat the caretaker policy would favour only private builders with strong financial backing .
"Continuing with this policy will deprive common citizens of large public open spaces . Under the guise of development , the BMC is approving 'destructive' development on open spaces , which should be left open to the sky ," said Ashok Ravat , member of NGO Citispace and the Shivaji Park ALM.
The activists are not too convinced with the adoption policy for RGs and PGs below 5,000 sq m either . While it leaves room for an Advanced Locality Management (ALM) to adopt these plots , the activists call it a "torture chamber" , as citizens will have to garner funds from sponsors .
Citispace plans to create public opinion against the amended draft policy and take up the matter with the government .
Citispace has done a cost estimate for the BMC to maintain and secure open spaces . "It will cost the civic body less than Rs 200 crore . In the following year , the cost will drop by 60 %. Why should citizens beg for sponsorship in order to adopt (plots ) when the BMC can afford to do it by itself ? It is the duty of the BMC, according to the Municipal Act," said Neera Punj , Citispace convener .
Times View
The decision to bring information on private players managing public spaces within the ambit of the RTI Act is welcome. For far too long, private trusts have gone unscrutinized by the public despite the work they do being essentially within the public domain. But the BMC should be more sensitive to the criticism of its caretaker and adoption policies. The objections stem from real concerns about the policies being loaded in favour of big players. The BMC cannot be even seen to be biased when it comes to the management of public spaces.
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PRICE OF LAND IN MUMBAI IS IN HUNDREDS OF CRORE OF RUPEES
RELATED NEWS: Vornado Realty Trust|TCG Urban Infrastructure|SBI |Citibank India
Citi set to seal Rs 1,000cr office deal
MUMBAI: The city may soon record the largest transaction for commercial space withCitibank India close to paying approximately Rs 1,000 crore for space in an under-construction building at Bandra-Kurla Complex. The deal, expected to be concluded shortly, comes at a time when the property market is in the dumps.
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SO HOW TO BECOME A BILLIONAIRE IN MUMBAI?
GET LAND FROM B.M.C. ON CARETAKER BASIS AND KEEP 25% LAND FOR COMMERCIAL USE
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HEARD OF CRONY CAPITALISTS WHO MADE BILLIONS FROM 2G AND MINING ETC
NOW CHANCES OF CRONY BILLIONAIRES ,["Activists objected to the allotment of 25% of RG plots to private players , saying this would make them vulnerable to commercial exploitation ".]
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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2011
bmc says no money for gardens--corporators slammed the administration for allowing Rs 50 crore of the budget earmarked for maintenances of gardens and open spaces to lapse.
[1]
Gardens, open spaces to be fenced as Rs50 cr unused
MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday decided to secure gardens and open spaces by fencing them and setting up compound walls following criticism over its failure to spend its budget for gardens. The move came after corporators slam-med the administration for allowing Rs 50 crore of the budget earmarked for maintenances of gardens and open spaces to lapse. The overall budget for 2010-2011 was Rs 130 crore.
After civic standing committee members criticized the BMC for the shoddy condition of open spaces, it ordered their inspection, especially where contractors have been appointed for maintenance. Even as the members have their eyes on the polls, they used the opportunity to slam contractors for doing a shoddy job. The civic body also decided to fine contractors for not doing a good job.
Additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta said that to prevent the funds from lapsing, the BMC has to allocate them before March 31, 2012. However, due to elections and the code of conduct which will precede them, the civic body needs to hasten the process.
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[2]
After civic standing committee members criticized the BMC for the shoddy condition of open spaces, it ordered their inspection, especially where contractors have been appointed for maintenance. Even as the members have their eyes on the polls, they used the opportunity to slam contractors for doing a shoddy job. The civic body also decided to fine contractors for not doing a good job.
Additional municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta said that to prevent the funds from lapsing, the BMC has to allocate them before March 31, 2012. However, due to elections and the code of conduct which will precede them, the civic body needs to hasten the process.
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[2]
After having let the city’s open spaces lie in languish, the civic administration has suddenly woke up to their maintenance. Following an uproar in the standing committee meeting on Wednesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has ordered an inspection and upkeep of all the open spaces across the city. The standing committee members unanimously blamed the civic body for non-completion of even minor works in the garden and the open spaces. “The administration is misguiding people by giving false information about upkeep of open spaces, even as the maintenance work of gardens has been pending for a year now. In some places where the work has started, it has been left incomplete,” said Mangesh Satamkar, Shiv Sena Corporator from Matunga. Corporators alleged that the BMC has also delayed the appointment of contractors for the maintenance work. “The funds of Rs50 crore are lyingunused. Why is the BMC administration not fining contractors who are not maintaining the gardens?” demanded Satamkar. Meanwhile, the civic body has announced that meeting would be held with all the zonal level officials. “Based on the inspection, we will also fine the erring garden contractors. We will also allocate the funds of Rs50 crore, to avoid them getting lapse before the code of conduct. The amount will be spent on fencing the open spaces and securing them,” said Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] Mumbai Plan to turn open space into theatre upsets residentsMUMBAI: A plot reserved for a recreation garden is in danger of being converted into a drama theatre. The plot measuring 48,630 sq ft-approximately an acre-is off S V Road at Kandivli (W) and can be accessed by a lane so narrow that it's difficult for two vehicles to pass at the same time. For several years, the plot lay neglected, and became the haunt of drug addicts and anti-social elements. "It's filled with trees that are home to a variety of birds. A few months ago, we met local BJP corporator Yogesh Sagar and told him about the plot. He informed us that it was a BMC plot so we asked him to spruce it up. A couple of months ago, a boundary wall was erected, and the next thing we knew, the BMC wanted to remove the RG reservation,'' said Lalit Adhduk, secretary of Khajuria Nagar housing society. The society has opposed the change in reservation status. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mumbi |
MUMBAI: In a bid to protect open spaces from political interference and encroachments , the BMC has issued a new draft policy as per which playgrounds that are situated next to schools and colleges will be given to the educational institutions for adoption.
The BMC will levy a token annual licence fee of Re 1 on the institution that adopts the playground. While neighbourhood residents will be able to enjoy the open space after school hours, political and religious functions will be banned. The proposal follows a 40-year fight for open space by students and the management of a Khar school.
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Mumba
iBMC open spaces policy rebuffs greens
MUMBAI: The civic administration is reluctant to drop the caretaker policy for open spaces despite vociferous opposition from green activists. It plans to adopt an amended version that municipal commissioner Subodh Kumar finalized on Thursday night.The draft proposes to allow the caretaker to commercially exploit 25% of a plot above 50,000 sq feet, while making him pay for maintenance of the remaining 75%, physical possession of which the BMC plans to retain with itself.
The BMC claims this is because it can't afford to develop and maintain the city's 1,200 reserved open spaces. Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner, said the BMC would have to incur a one-time expenditure of around Rs 1,000 crore just to develop the plots, which would take at least five to seven years.
The civic body will put up the final draft proposal on its website by June 28 so that citizens can send in their objections and suggestions within 30 days. Thereafter there will be a public hearing. The administration may modify the proposal if there are valid suggestions and then put it before the Improvements Committee for its approval. After the general body too gives its approval, it will be sent to the state government for the go-ahead .
However, Neera Punj, convenor , Citispace, a citizens' group that has been fighting to save the city's few open spaces said it was a crying shame that the BMC was unwilling to provide Mumbaikars their much-needed green space.
"All it takes is Rs 100-odd crore annually , which the BMC can easily afford, to maintain all green spaces in the city. The BMC is giving so much to builders, why does it need to touch the open spaces? The caretaker policy must be completely done away with. Not a single inch of open space should be allowed to be encroached upon ," she said. PK Das, architect and civic activist, said the whole exercise seemed to be aimed at destroying the quality of life in the city.
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