NMC scrutiny finds violations galore in Dhantoli, Congress Nagar land leases
Date :30-Oct-2020
Mayor Sandip Joshi chairing meeting about lease plots of Dhantoli/Congress Nagar at Standing Committee Hall of NMC.
Staff Reporter ;
Civic body levies penalty at RR rates on violators as multi-storeyed buildings, many of them commercial, were constructed in violation of lease agreements
Many buildings in Dhantoli and Congress Nagar areas, considered as upscale localities of city are unauthorised as they were constructed on lease plots keeping Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in the dark. Now NMC has served notices for renewal of leases, also levied penalty to lease holders for violation of the agreement. Civic officials have relied on 2011 resolution no. 299 of NMC general body permitting renewal of land lease but with stipulation of levying of penalty at Ready Reckoner rates for condoning violations.
NMC had allocated 71 plots and now as per record 109 plots are existing, it means some of the land were divided to facilitate commercial constructions in these two areas. Post receipt of notices, 65 people evinced to renew the leases and until now 37 plot owners furnished relevant documents. However, 15 people have still not conveyed their willingness to NMC proposal while applications of 28 people are still pending. Many buildings, shops and shopping malls have been constructed on the leased land without permission from the owner, that is NMC and hence the issue figured in general body meeting. As per decision then, a penalty of 10 per cent of Ready Reckoner rate was to be charged while renewing leases in case constructions are prior to the resolution and 15 per cent if they are done post facto.
Though NMC officials are tight lipped the penalty charges would range in crores of rupees given the current RR rates in Congress Nagar/Dhantoli areas. Stung by the receipt of notices from civic body, lease plot holders moved powers that be and a meeting was held on Thursday wherein Mayor Sandip Joshi took stock of the matter. Milind Meshram, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), informed the meeting that the leases were first issued in year 1937 and meant for building houses for self (lease holder) that indicated one dwelling unit per plot, that means two bedroom house at the most.
Today, however towering buildings have been built and on top of that with nod from civic body at many plot commercial units were constructed that is totally illegal. Mayor directed civic administration to take immediate steps to solve the problems of lease holders at the meeting was held at Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Memorial Standing Committee Hall at NMC's head office Civil Lines. He was of view that civic officials should hold dialogue with lease holders and take note of their suggestions in a bid to resolve the issue. The lease holders argued that the agreement reached in 1937 mentioned construction to the without prior permission from authorities. But Meshram said that prior permission is required for construction on the land whose ownership vests with NMC.
Manisha Kothe, Deputy Mayor, Vijay Zalke, Chairperson, Standing Committee, Narendra Borkar, Chairperson, Transport Committee, Prakash Bhoyar, Chairperson, Laxminagar Zone, Lata Kadgaye, Chairperson, Dhantoli Zone, Dayashankar Tiwari, Ram Joshi, Additional Commissioner, Raju Bhivgade, Assistant Commissioner, Laxminagar Zone, Sonali Chavan, Executive Engineer, Vijay Gurubakshani were present at the meeting.
‘Cancel lease of Lakadganj Kadbi Market’ Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) should cancel the lease of land of Lakadganj Kadbi Market spread over plot nos. 112, 115 and 116 and get them vacated. The instructions were issued to civic administration by Adv Dharampal Meshram, Chairperson, Legal Committee, NMC, on Thursday. The market ground is spread over 34,000 sq.ft. and same was leased in 1992 and since then the same was not renewed nor audit was done.
A committee of civic officials went into the issue and they studied whether penalty can be imposed and whether lease is possible to be renewed. The Committee is still busy with its inquiry yet Meshram said the lease be cancelled and encroachment on it should be removed. Out of this plot, Kabra petrol pump is situated at Khasra No. 112. In addition, the areas of Khasra Nos. 115 and 116 have also been encroached upon.
Meshram said a civic center should be set up on the said land after it is vacated. He also directed administration to start the process of allotment of shops in Sakkardara market immediately. In addition to providing all the necessary facilities in the area so that NMC nor the lease holders should face any problem in future. Milind Meshram, Officiating Deputy Commissioner, Sonali Chavan, Executive Engineer, Dhananjay Mendulkar, Executive Engineer, Venkatesh Kaple, Legal Officer, Shrikant Vaidya, Market Superintendent, Singanjude, Deputy Engineer, Rajendra Zambare, Real Estate Officer Lakdaganj were present in the meeting.