The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has ordered three housing societies, Sai Ashirvad, Gulmohar, and Utkarsh, to develop gardens in their open spaces, collectively measuring approximately 3,000 square meters. This move comes after public complaints about lost green spaces due to ongoing redevelopment. Activists have raised concerns over environmental regulations being disregarded during the redevelopment process. If the societies or their developers fail to comply, NMMC will develop the gardens at their cost, ensuring adherence to the green norms and enhancing the residents' quality of life.
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has issued a directive to three cooperative housing societies,
namely Sai Ashirvad, Gulmohar, and Utkarsh, to make constructive use of their open spaces. These areas, which were
originally intended to be garden plots, have been fenced off due to ongoing redevelopment work but have remained
undeveloped.
These open spaces, spanning five separate plots, collectively measure approximately 3,000 square meters. Each plot
varies in size, ranging from 358 to 891 square meters. The NMMC has sanctioned the repositioning of these plots as
part of the restructuring process for the JN-02 type cooperative housing society buildings.
The directive issued by NMMC Assistant Director of Town Planning, Somnath Kekan, comes in response to
community complaints. In his letter, Kekan urged the three housing societies to proceed with the creation of these
gardens at their new locations as part of the handover process. The societies or their respective developers have been
allocated a period of seven days to fulfill the conditions set by the permission granted for redevelopment.
The need to develop these gardens was brought into focus by an earlier report by TOI, which highlighted concerns
over lost garden spaces due to redevelopment activities. The issue came to light following allegations by activists that
five gardens in Vashi sector 9 had disappeared due to redevelopment.
Activist Rohit Malhotra expressed concerns about the garden spaces and alleged that guidelines from the Central
Pollution Control Board regarding the demolition of structures were being flouted during redevelopment. He claimed
that the uncovered transportation of debris and excavated materials, along with dust pollution caused by water
spraying, were areas of significant concern.
Addressing these allegations, Kekan assured that if the housing societies or their developers fail to develop the
gardens, the NMMC would take up the task at their expense. He emphasized the importance of adhering to the terms
and conditions of the redevelopment permission, particularly regarding the development of these open spaces.
In conclusion, the NMMC's directive is a positive step towards addressing the issue of lost green spaces amidst rapid
urban development. It not only aids in improving the quality of life for residents but also ensures adherence to
environmental guidelines. The cooperation of housing societies and developers in these efforts is vital, as is ongoing
vigilance from activists and the community.
This story was first published in ET Realty
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