Marking its first major legislative milestone following nearly four years of administrator rule, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) newly-convened General Body cleared two pivotal infrastructure proposals during a meeting chaired by Mayor Neeta Thakre held recently. The House formally sanctioned the freehold transfer of six civic properties to MahaMetro and ratified extensive public-private redevelopment pacts covering the city’s historic commercial markets. Under the transit pact, the municipal corporation regularised ownership rights for six prime plots previously handed over for the Nagpur Metro project.

 

Valued at approximately Rs 75 crore, the assets will be adjusted against the civic body’s mandatory 5 per cent equity share in the mass transit venture. The state government had authorised granting freehold title to MahaMetro under Section 450 (A) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act. The financial adjustment accounts for Rs 70 crore in previously transferred Phase-I assets, Rs 93 lakh for parking plots near Telephone Exchange Square, and Rs 4 crore for a 489 sq metre parcel. The earmarked sites include plots in Somalwada, Sitabuldi’s Tulsi Hindi Primary School, and the Indira Gandhi Hospital premises in Ambazari.

 

Land parcels near Sitabuldi Orange Market and Mahatma Phule Market were excluded after MahaMetro deferred their execution to Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) a shift opposed by Leader of Opposition Sanjay Mahakalkar, who demanded independent civic development. In another landmark decision, the House ratified agreements with Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) to modernise aging commercial hubs under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Share/Sale (DBFOS) Public-Private Partnership model.

 

The redevelopment blueprint spans key commercial zones includes initial clusters -- Cotton Market, Santra Market, Netaji Market, Dahi Bazaar cluster, Kamal Chowk Market, and the Dik Hospital premises. Along with newly approved additions which includes Yeshwant Stadium, Sakkardara Budhwar Bazaar, Itwari Sarafa Market, and Maskasath Market. The agreement allows 30-year lease terms (extendable twice) on government-allotted land and raises MSIDC’s project management fee from 4.5 to 5%. A high-powered committee will determine commercial revenue-sharing and upfront premiums, with mandatory rehabilitation guaranteed for existing vendors.