Latest to stake a claim to the design plan of the market is a Delhi-based architect firm, Kothari and Associates, which has once again asked the BMC for an opportunity to redevelop the market.
It claims that its market revamp plan had been picked as the best by BMC in 1995The controversy surrounding the Crawford Market redevelopment just got some fresh fuel.
Latest to stake a claim to the design plan of the market is a Delhi-based architect firm, Kothari and Associates, which has once again asked the BMC for an opportunity to redevelop the market.
In fact, the architect firm has claimed that its design should have been the first to have been chosen by the BMC. According to Kothari and Associates, their plan for the market’s revamp had won an India-wide design competition held on April 25, 1995.
The firm has reminded the BMC that following its win, then BMC chief Sharad Kale had taken an administrative decision, which specifically stated that all future revamp bidders would work on the design submitted by Kothari and Associates.
Staking the firm’s claim on the design plan, Roopak Kothari, the firm’s managing director, said, “If our designs were selected at an all-India competition, why are we not a part of the redevelopment plan? Despite the BMC finalising a private developer for the revamp, it is our plans that must still be considered.” Kothari has claimed to have written to the BMC several times previously, but to no response.
Additional BMC commissioner Kishore Gajbhiye had earlier said that Kale’s administrative decision was never put up before the group leaders and, hence had lapsed.
However, activist Shailesh Gandhi disagrees. “The proposal couldn’t have lapsed in the memory of the authorities. The obvious reason behind taking up such horrendous plan is gifting away of public money.”
While the BMC has already okayed the plan submitted by East and West Developers of the RNA (Anil Agarwal) group, leading heritage conservationist Abha Narian Lambah has also evinced interest in the redevelopment of the historic market.
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