Opposition parties on Thursday demanded that the state assembly budget session be extended for three days to discuss the proposed draft development plan (DP) of Mumbai. The session was set to conclude on April 10.

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Opposition leader and Congress legislator Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said the proposed DP is important because based on it the city development will happen. "If we accept this DP, which has several lacunae, the city will face a lot problems in the future. It should be feasible and practical. I request the speaker of the House and the ruling BJP to extended the ongoing session. The extension should give enough time to debate and discuss the plan," he added.

Jayant Patil, NCP legislator and group leader, said in the state budget no adequate fund was allocated to Mumbai and its infrastructure projects. "Mumbai is the international and financial capital, so its infrastructure has to be world class. In the proposed DP, there are several irregularities that need to be corrected through discussions and debates. The House is the best place to put forth the diverse views. Most of the elected representatives have in-depth knowledge of their locality. If their views are incorporated, the proposed DP will be one of the best," Patil said.

Another NCP legislator, Jitendra Awhad, said the DP draft was prepared by a France-based firm which has no clue about the city and its complexities. "They have made several horrendous mistakes in the draft. If we go by the current DP, city's development will come to a standstill. Marathi manoos will be thrown out of the city because the draft has left no scope for redevelopment," Awhad added.

"The government should not approve the plan hurriedly. It needs to be discussed and debated by giving it more time. Many people have failed to understand the draft, decoding it is a big challenge for the experts as well. Once they understand, only then will we be able to submit suggestions and objections."