Corruption in contract allotment of Tulsiwadi revamp project: Petition
A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court alleging corruption in the allotment of contract of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s ambitious Tulsiwadi redevelopment project at Haji Ali.
A petition was filed in the Bombay High Court alleging corruption in the allotment of contract of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s ambitious Tulsiwadi redevelopment project at Haji Ali.
The petitioner, Amit Maru, has alleged that the BMC and the government stand to loose nearly Rs 12,500 crore, because the BMC has given a prime plot, measuring 19.5 acres, at a pittance to a builder, without calling public tenders.
Apart from the plush quarters for high civic officials, the redevelopment of the plot includes the construction of rehab tenements for the BMC staff and eligible slum dwellers.
The plot, situated next to the Willingdon Golf Club, near Haji Ali, was partly occupied by municipal quarters and slums.
Maru claims the BMC has granted permission to a builder to develop the plot under regulation 37(9) of the Development Control Regulations for the city.
Under this provision, the builder will be entitled to develop the plot with a Floor Space Index of 4, and make a profit of nearly Rs 12,892 crores.
Maru also challenged a July 2009 order of a High Power Committee (HPC) in which it turned down his request for registering an offence under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against the civic officials concerned with the Tulsiwadi case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau had forwarded Maru’s complaint to the HPC, where, according to the petition, the same person — Sitaram Kunte-who had awarded the Tulsiwadi Redevelopment Contract in March 2004, heard it.
Maru has also taken exception to the appointment of Milind Mhaiskar, Additional Commissioner, MMRDA, and his wife Manisha, Additional Commissioner, BMC, on the HPC. He contended that the appointment of spouses on one committee was against settled principles of administrative law.
Maru has sought directions to the HPC to hear his complaint afresh after removing either of the Mhaiskars and its chairman, Sitaram Kunte.