The Mayor, the Ruling Party Leader, other office-bearers and the NMC Administration were deluged with complaints and protests over unreasonable hike in various development charges. The local newspapers had also run a sustained campaign against the hike and exposed the designs.
Nagpur.
Shaken and torn apart by media reports and a flood of protests by citizens and organisations, the Standing Committee of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has stayed the ‘enormous’ hike in various development charges being levied by Town Planning Department while issuing permission for building construction. In a meeting held on Friday (April 10), the Standing Committee unanimously accepted the resolution forwarded by one of its members Adv Sanjay Balpande and stayed the hike in development charges. The Mayor, the Ruling Party Leader and the NMC Administration were deluged with complaints over exorbitant hike in various development charges. The local newspapers had run a sustained campaign against the hike and exposed the designs.
The meeting of Stating Committee was informed that the proportion of small plots in city is very high considering the geographic situation of Nagpur City. The hike was naturally over burdening the middle class and common people. The hike would have been justified had it been in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Thane and others. The number of plots admeasuring 1000 and 2400 is at very higher side and the population of Nagpur is less compared to Mumbai and Pune. More importantly, considering the poor financial condition of Nagpur citizens the hike in various development charges being recovered by NMC’s Town Planning Department was unwarranted, said the resolution submitted by Adv Sanjay Balpande.
The resolution forwarded by Adv Sanjay Balpande contained facts and figures regarding various development charges being recovered by NMC while issuing permission for building construction in Nagpur City.
The stay on the hike will be in force until the NMC Administration submits a formal proposal through Standing Committee within 15 days and until the General Body Meeting approves the proposal.
NMC issued notification recently for levying development charges according to ready reckoner rates. Maharashtra Government had amended Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966 to levy development charges equivalent to 2 per cent of the ready reckoner rates. The NMC has amended development control rules as per changes in MRTP Act. In addition to these charges, the developer or builder will have to pay other charges levied by the Town Planning Department.
The charges for development of land for residential or institutional use without involving any construction activities will be 0.5 per cent of the ready reckoner rates. These charges will be applicable for redevelopment of the building also.
– RAJEEV RANJAN KUSHWAHA(rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
