BMC asked to prepare fresh plan in four months

After state cabinet on Tuesday decided to scrap the draft development plan, the Urban Development department has sent a letter to BMC, directing it to prepare a fresh plan within the next four months.

The principal secretary, Urban Development, Dr Nitin Karir sent the letter to the civic body on Wednesday. According to this letter, the state Government has directed the BMC to prepare a fresh blueprint in four months, and throw it open to public for suggestions and objections.

With the state government's decision to scrap the DP, the new DP will not come before six months' time.

Meanwhile, an official informed that the reservations on open spaces in the draft DP which has been scrapped could be maintained if there is no major problem or objection to it, other than from the owners of the land.

Welcoming the decision, leader of opposition in state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that this decision is a 'victory' of the NGOs and experts, as well as the average Mumbaikars who objected to this blueprint.

Vikhe-Patil demanded that the amount of money spent for preparing the draft DP should be recovered from the consultants as well as the BMC officials responsible for it.

He said that the state government, while scrapping the DP, should also make it clear whether it would take action against the officials who are responsible for preparing this 'faulty' DP.