Corporators have demanded that the BMC take over the Kandivali plot from the Mumbai Cricket Associati-on (MCA), which has constructed a recreational complex on it. The MCA has flouted the civic norms by setting up a recreational club instead of a cricket academy there, they said.
The MCA will be holding the inauguration of its club on July 14 at the hands of CM Prithviraj Chavan. However, Shiv Sena and BJP corporators termed the structure illegal and said that the ceremony was planned without obtaining the occupation certificate (OC) from the civic body.
The issue of alleged violation of rules by the MCA, while constructing the club at Mahavir Nagar, was raised by house leader Yashodhar Phanse in the civic standing committee. “Despite the plot being reserved for playground, the MCA has illegally constructed a bar, restaurant and card room on it. Hence, the BMC should take over the plot and take legal action against the MCA for violation of rules,” he said.
BJP corporator Manoj Kotak said, “Despite the stay on recreational ground/playground (RGPG) policy by the state government, the MCA was allowed to acquire the plot.” However, Congress corporator Pravin Chheda said that an investigation should also be conducted into the open plots grabbed by the Sena-BJP leaders in the past.
Additional municipal commissioner M.M. Adtani stated that the MCA had been given intimation of disapproval (IoD) and commencement certification (CC) for the Kandivali plot in 2005 and 2006 respectively, much before the state stayed the RGPG policy. However, the OC has not been issued yet. The garden and estate department officials will scrutinise the terms and conditions on which the MCA was given the plot before issuing the OC, he added. Standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale said, “There has been violation of several rules in the construction of the club.” Following the corporators’ demand, he adjourned the standing committee meeting.