Mumbai: Private developer may be booked for clogging drains on NH-48

Officials clearing the landfill behind Kinara dhaba along the highway to allow rainwater to drain. Pic/Hanif Patel

Inquiries by mid-day have led the Palghar revenue department to launch an investigation into jailed developer Rakesh Wadhawan and others whose land was being illegally used as landfill. Vasai taluka tahsildar said they will be fined as well as booked under the Disaster Management Act if it is confirmed that the landfill caused the flooding of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway.

During our investigation, mid-day learnt that the land, with survey No. 117, belongs to HDIL promoter Rakesh Wadhawan and sought to know from officials what action will be taken against him.

"One of the owners of this piece of land, with survey number 117, is HDIL promoter Rakesh Wadhawan. If, after our inspection, it is found that the land filling triggered waterlogging of the highway, we will file a complaint at the local police station against the land owner as well as others responsible under the Disaster Management Act for using the plot as a dumping yard. We will also impose a fine on them," said Vasai taluka tahsildar Avinash Kosti.

HDIL promoter Rakesh Wadhawan

Civic officials had earlier told mid-day that the 40-foot-high debris and trash on plot No. 117 was the reason for flooding on the highway. Officials have been clearing the land to revive the natural drain that existed before and helped clear rainwater out of the highway.

Jailed Wadhawan is being investigated by multiple agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). He is an accused in the multi-crore Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank scam, Patra Chawl redevelopment scam, etc.

The six-lane stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway was flooded almost waist high last week, which mid-day highlighted in its report on July 1. Back-to-back reports prompted the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) and revenue department officials to crack down on illegal dhabas and stalls built on NHAI land.

Meeting on landfill, etc.

On Wednesday, representatives from the VVCMC, the revenue department and mangroves protection committee held a meeting at the Palghar district collector's (DC) office on the matter. Sources at the DC's office told mid-day that the issue of illegal dump yard on an empty plot behind Kinara dhaba, as reported by mid-day on Wednesday, was also discussed.

Truckloads of garbage, debris and soil were offloaded on the private land in broad daylight for the past three-four years, said Anil Thakur, the owner of Kinara dhaba. The pileup had blocked the natural passage of water, besides clogging the culverts in the area as well as the drainage system of Kinara dhaba.

More illegal structures or parts of dhabas, etc. were demolished on Wednesday. Pics/Hanif Patel

"I had invested more than R15 lakh to connect our dhaba's drain to the nearest culvert. But over the past few years, big trucks dumped debris on the private land right behind our dhaba. This filling of land disturbed our drainage system and when the highway got waterlogged, the authorities razed our dhaba," Thakur rued. Kosti has said that they will also investigate the "materials that have been dumped on the land that choked the drainage system."

Besides Wadhawan, Bhimraj Shivraj Jain, Jagannath Mhatre and Namdev Mhatre are also the owners of the plot No. 117.

"If other plots along the highway are caught indulging in similar illegal activities, which caused waterlogging, then we have decided to deal with the issue with an iron fist," Kosti said.

"We will also request the municipal corporation to remove the debris from the private land if it's causing obstruction in rainwater to easily recede," he added.

Mangroves destroyed

It appears that the illegal land fillings also destroyed thick patches of mangroves.

A source said, "It is a serious issue if the mangroves have been destroyed. We will conduct a survey and retrieve satellite images to decide if the illegal land fillings destroyed mangroves in the area."

"If the survey proves that mangroves have been destroyed, we will register a police complaint to book the violators under the Environment Protection Act," the source added.

Meanwhile, the civic and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials have continued razing illegal dhabas and stalls. The major establishments that faced crackdown on Wednesday include Mumbai Masala dhaba, Fountain City which is coming up with a banquet hall and water park on the highway and hotel Radhe Kathiawadi.

More structures razed

Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mohan Sankhe said, "On Tuesday, we cleared 55,000 square feet of encroached land and on Wednesday, over 32,500 square feet."

Local activist Atul Mote said, "This anti-encroachment drive is hogwash. The authorities concerned are only razing the hoardings of the illegal establishments in the name of anti-encroachment drive."

"Why aren't they razing the structures from where these dhabas, resorts, car washing centres, etc. are running their business from? How is the removal of hoardings going to stop waterlogging issues on the highway?" Mote asked.

The NHAI had issued notices to over 300 hotels, dhabas, resorts, car washing stations, salons, spas, etc. to act within the stipulated time to clear the encroachment, but the violators did not abide by the instructions.

17
Survey No. of the landfill plot

4
No. of owners of the landfill plot No. 117