BMC claims they have either found or recreated the files, albeit only 40 per cent of the total that went missing over the years
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims to have traced or recreated most of the files that went missing mysteriously from the Building Proposal Department of the BMC. In 2013, at least 3,747 files went missing from the department.
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar had demanded police action into the issue and insisted that a total of 7,000 files from the department had gone missing.
Seeing no progress, Shelar recently asked Mumbai Police to register an FIR and start an investigation.
"I have personally met the deputy commissioner of police and have demanded that they first register an FIR and then start investigation, rather than waiting for the BMC to register the FIR," said Shelar.
Shelar had earlier demanded that the state government appoint a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Serious allegations of a nexus between officials, developers, and politicians were levelled.
The files have important records and include details of permissions and plans of proposed structures in the city. The absence of these files means that there is no available proof of approvals granted by the civic body and irregularities in the structure can go unchecked.
The civic body has invoked sections of the Maharashtra Public Records Act, under which notices can be issued to parties such as developers and architects to submit copies of files and plans in their possession.
However, civic officials said that there are two parts with regards to the files. One set contains files of buildings which have been constructed before 1991 and the other set post-1991. "Many developers and architects of buildings before 1991 have died and we cannot recreate those files. We could trace and recreate only 40 per cent of them. Of those, only the ones from after 1991 could be recreated," said Vinod Chitore, Chief Engineer Development Plan.
"There are details of particular buildings in different departments like Water and Fire Brigade. But they keep limited records as per their needs. Those details proved vital while recreating these files," said Chitore, adding that the process of tracing and recreating files will go on until we ensure that all the missing records are in place.
...& ANALYSIS
- The files have important records and include details of permissions and plans of proposed structures in the city.
- Absence of these files means that there is no available proof of approvals granted by the civic body and irregularities in the structure can go unchecked
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