'DNA' investigation: Rehabilitation concerns raise doubts over Pune project

Since its inception, the residential complex of Kakade city in Hinge, Pune, has raised several questions. The land on which the project has been constructed was meant for rehabilitation of the project-affected people of Kopregaon. The land was acquired by the government for the expansion of the National Defence Academy.

A Right to Information (RTI) Act query by DNA revealed that the over 1 lakh sq mt of land was acquired for the rehabilitation of over 350 families in 2002 by the additional district collector. After the land was acquired, builder Sanjay Kakade, who has close ties with several NCP leaders in the ruling alliance, got into an agreement with the families to develop the land and rehabilitate the project-affected people.

Ten years later, though on paper the land belongs to the project-affected people, questions are asked about their rehabilitation. Advocate S Repale, member of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan, an NGO founded by Anna Hazare, wonders if the families have been rehabilitated. “Originally, 196 families were supposed to be rehabilitated. In 2002, when the orders were out, the list had 385 families. But I wonder how many of them were actually rehabilitated in Kakade city,” he said. 

Kakade said the number of families to be rehabilitated was raised after the project-affected people moved court. “Following the grant of land by the additional collector, the project-affected people went to high court and appealed against it. The court then raised the number of families eligible for rehabilitation,” he said.

The mega project raised eyebrows right from the start, but the Pune Municipal Corporation turned a blind eye to the alleged irregularities. Repale, in particular, questioned the various irregularities in connection with the project with the district anti-corruption committee. His letter also questioned the decision of the additional collector to declare the said land free from land ceiling, stating that the Urban Land Ceiling Act, 1976, makes it mandatory for the government to acquire ceiling land. He also claimed that the original land owners were not given procession of the land.

A note prepared by the development engineer, PMC, negates the arguments. The note quotes the additional collector ULC and states that as the Kopregaon land was acquired by the government in 1951, the ULC law would not be applicable. The note also quotes a letter written by the sub- divisional officer of Pune which says that the builder would develop the land and not own it.

Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, Shiv Sena MP from Khed, had raised the same issue during his meeting with the municipal commissioner in 2004. The commissioner used the note to answer him.