Maharashtra’s Urban Development Department has approved the implementation of a cluster redevelopment scheme in Navi Mumbai, overruling opposition from senior BJP leader Ganesh Naik. The decision, backed by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is expected to benefit residents living in old, dilapidated and dangerous buildings across the city.
The cluster redevelopment policy allows multiple housing societies to come together and redevelop ageing buildings, with special concessions provided under the scheme. The initiative aims to offer residents safer and improved housing while facilitating the planned redevelopment of ageing residential structures.
However, the proposal had faced resistance from Ganesh Naik, a prominent political figure in Navi Mumbai. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, which is under his political influence, had passed a resolution opposing the implementation of the cluster scheme in the city.
The opposition was primarily based on concerns that large-scale redevelopment could lead to a substantial increase in the city’s population, placing additional pressure on existing infrastructure and essential civic amenities. Concerns over the capacity of basic services to accommodate a growing population were cited as reasons for seeking to halt the project.
Despite these objections, the Urban Development Department, headed by Shinde, has rejected the municipal corporation’s resolution and approved the scheme in accordance with the state government’s policy. The department’s decision clears the way for the cluster redevelopment plan to proceed in Navi Mumbai.
The approval has also sparked political discussions, given the longstanding rivalry between Shinde and Naik. The two leaders have frequently been at odds over political and regional issues, making the latest development significant beyond its implications for urban redevelopment.
With the state government prioritising the provision of better housing for residents of unsafe buildings, the decision could open new avenues for redevelopment in Navi Mumbai. At the same time, it has set the stage for another potential confrontation between the two leaders.
Naik’s response to the government’s decision remains awaited, with attention now turning to how the opposition to the scheme may unfold in the coming days.
Source: ABP Marathi
Pic Credit: The Free Press Journal
