In a significant land allotment move, the Maharashtra government has handed a 7,658 sq m Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plot in Sion to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for 30 years at an annual rent of Rs 10,186. The order was issued on Thursday after receiving clearances from the state government and the urban development department.
The decision places a high-value municipal parcel—estimated at around Rs 247 crore based on the current Sion market rate of Rs 30,000 per sq ft—under a long-term low-rent lease.
The BMC relied on Section 92(dd) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888, to proceed with the allotment. The clause, added in 2017, permits the municipal commissioner to lease land below market rates for projects deemed to serve public interest, bypassing standard disposal rules.
The government order notes that the plot falls under multiple reservations in the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034 and can only be used for medical and educational purposes after securing the required permissions. Oversight of compliance has been assigned to the BMC commissioner.
The land will enable the VHP to enlarge its existing Sion centre, which provides accommodation for cancer patients arriving in Mumbai for treatment, along with associated support activities.
Source: Hindustan Times
