The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has turned down Growels 101 Mall’s request to realign a development plan (DP) road amid a protracted 13-year dispute over land handover.
The dispute revolves around the BMC’s persistent demand for Growels 101 Mall, located in Kandivali (East), to surrender a DP road and recreational ground (RG) plot designated under DP 1991 and 2034. Despite years of correspondence and multiple notices, the mall has not complied with BMC’s directives to transfer these land parcels to the civic authority. Recent efforts by the mall to seek realignment of the DP road have been met with rejection by BMC’s DP department.
Earlier this year, following a notice from BMC in February, Grauer and Weil (India) Ltd., the managing entity of Growels 101 Mall, proposed a realignment of the road to consolidate the fragmented garden reservation split by the existing 18.30-meter wide DP road. The mall argued that such realignment would unify the reservation, making it more feasible for handover to BMC after approval.
However, BMC cited previous considerations of similar requests from the mall which were never followed through with formal proposals. The Chief Engineer of BMC’s DP department underscored in a letter to the mall that despite achieving milestones like Intimation of Disapproval (IOD) and Completion Certificates, the mall has failed to fulfill its obligation to transfer the road and RG reservation.
“It is your responsibility to hand over the land affected by the road and RG reservation to BMC,” the letter reiterated, emphasizing the mall’s lapse in meeting regulatory requirements despite advancing construction on the site.
The rejection signifies a setback for Growels 101 Mall’s development plans, highlighting ongoing challenges in urban infrastructure management and compliance in Mumbai. BMC’s firm stance underscores the importance of adherence to civic regulations and timely land handovers for sustainable urban growth. As the dispute continues, stakeholders await further developments amid efforts to resolve the impasse over land ownership and use, reflecting broader issues in urban governance and planning in India’s financial capital.
This decision by BMC reiterates the critical role of regulatory compliance and adherence to civic planning norms in ensuring orderly urban development, crucial for Mumbai’s sustainable growth trajectory.
