Building shown as water body in Vikhroli SRA project: Architect

It seems that the BMC really needs some geography lessons.While several activists and independent planners have slammed the civic body's draft Development Plan (DP) 2034, it has spelt trouble for many developers too. As per objections to the draft DP that were recently filed by architect Paras Pathak, there are several glaring anomalies in the land use maps where his projects stand.For instance, on the maps, a natural water resource appears in a Vikhroli (East) plot where SSV Developers and Builders is in the process of developing a slum rehabilitation authority project. According to Pathak, in the plot measuring 3,696 square metres, two buildings have already come up, one of which is a rehab building, while the other one has flats that will be for sale."Surprisingly, a pond-like water body, indicated as 'natural water resource' without any indication of its origin has been shown in the place where the sale building called Lareina Residency currently stands," Pathak said, adding that water body also overlaps with another neighbouring builder's project.That's not all. A road abutting the plot has been shown in the land use maps with a width of 6.10m as against its original width of 9.15m. "The height of the building is dependent on the width of the road, why is why we are worried," Pathak said.In another Vikhroli plot, a DP road that was abutting the plot, has shifted in the land use maps. "An unidentified patch has come up between the road and the building and as per the maps, the road access to the building doesn't show up on the map," Pathak said.Similarly, on a Chembur project that Pathak is working on, a road adjoining a plot has been shown as 12.2 metres wide as against its original width of 18.3 metre. "Strangely, even local civic officials told us that provisions of making the width of the road 18.3 metres has already been made," Pathak said.Pathak has filed objections on all three anomalies he found on the new DP.A senior civic official said, "We will have to check what went wrong. A committee will go through all the objections filed and take decisions on that."