Mumbai development plan 2034 notified, comes into force in 30 days

The state government on Thursday published the Mumbai Development Plan 2034 and released it to the public. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, “We are taking the last steps to bring the DP into effect. The maps have to be prepared.’’ Senior civic officers said that the original plan Annexure A had clerical errors and Annexure B needs to be changed after suggestions/objections. Mehta enjoys some discretionary powers in the newly sanctioned DP 2034 wherein he can delete reservations or even change a natural area plot to a no-development zone (NDZ) or special development zone (SDZ). One crucial power given to the municipal chief is that if a land is shown as a natural area and does not fulfil the criteria set for it, he with, prior approval from the government, can pass an order that the land is NDZ or SDZ. Another crucial power given to the municipal chief is that he will give special permission to delete all reservations proposed on the layout recreation ground (RG) plots. A speaking order will be passed, modifying the DP and a copy will be forwarded to the Director of Town Planning, Maharashtra state, Pune, and state government’s urban development department. If the municipal commissioner has found a designation which is not as per site condition and is a draftsman’s error, he has the power to pass a suitable specific speaking order modifying the DP plan and the copy of such order will be forwarded to the urban development department and director of town planning. No officer subordinate has the above mentioned power. The land owner should submit a proposal to the municipal commissioner three months from the date on which the DP comes into force and he can take a decision on it within six months. The public parking lots (PPL) proposed on partial land or on some floors of residential or commercial buildings on such lands shall be deemed to be deleted. Only those PPLs that have been handed over to the BMC after development by getting its approval will continue to remain as PPLs.