BMC starts work on development plan

After a delay of two-and-a-half years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started work to decide the brand new development plan (DP) for Mumbai.

It was supposed to be ready by June. The first meeting to discuss basic issues about the development plan (DP) is scheduled for Thursday at the civic headquarters.

The consortium of Indian and French firms, led by Groupe SCE India Pvt Ltd, was designing the plan. But the company after suffering from major losses because of its investments in Libya backed out of the plan.

The civic body insisted on completing the plans as per the contract documents. The BMC said they will black list the company if they opt out of the contract.

Finally, the company sold the firm to AIGIS. According to the civic sources the AIGIS group has purchased the whole company with the previous staff—experts and all infrastructure. Now the new company will complete the DP of the city.

The plan is important as it will decide the reservations for civic amenities, public utilities, open spaces and will also set guidelines for the civic body on permissions for construction of taller buildings.  The new plan is expected to be ready by the end  of 2013.