Aaditya Thackeray: BMC auctioning land parcels to raise funds after Shinde govt’s loot

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. File pic/Rane Ashish

The BMC is in financial crisis and that's why the civic body is giving many land parcels at prominent places on lease, Aaditya Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena UBT has alleged.

Thackeray in a press conference on Thursday said the corporation has now decided to auction Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandai (Market), BEST Electric Receiving Station at Malabar Hill, and Worli Asphalt Plant to raise funds and make up for the loot of the Eknath Shinde regime. He also said that the Shinde regime had started the sale of Mumbai to his favourite builders and contractors. It's also possible that eventually Shinde and BJP will also auction the Hutatma Smarak, and earn ‘khokes' (money) out of that too!

In a post on ‘X' Thackeray said, "So on one end, they looted the BMC and Mumbai, gave the money to their favourite contractors, and now by auctioning these iconic and important land parcels, the BMC will be left without funds and plots."

Aaditya stated, "For Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Mandai, it is the Eknath Shinde and BJP regime that wants to drive Kolis and fisherfolk out of Mumbai. We will oppose this. For the other two land parcels, instead of giving it to a favourite builder, our government will consider it for police housing, and government quarters. He appealed to Mumbaikars to unite and defeat this regime that wanted to drive out Mumbaikars from Mumbai."

BMC says

A BMC official said, "The BMC has been struggling for income sources for quite some time. Its fixed deposits dwindled from Rs 92,000 crore to Rs 82,000 crore in just two years. Therefore, the BMC has now decided to raise revenue by auctioning its own lands. The municipal administration had made provision for this in the current budget. Accordingly, advertisements were released recently. Earlier it was decided to resettle fisherfolks in the mandai after recontruction. But after giving this place on lease agreement, the existing reservation of market and municipal office will be removed. Therefore, the company or contractor who gets the land will be allowed to construct it for residential or commercial use."

The official added, "Similarly, the BEST power substation at Malabar Hill will be reduced and the remaining space will be given on lease. The third place is the asphalt plant in Worli. Some of the place of this plant will be given on lease. As all these three places are lying unused, the civic body is trying to get revenue by giving these plots on lease." The official said the municipality is yet to disclose the lease amounts.