Mumbai: Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad Alleges Mahayuti Govt Allowed Builders To Exploit Reserved BMC Plots, Demands Withdrawal Of DC Rule Change

City Congress president and MP Varsha Gaikwad has created a sensation in political circles by accusing the Mahayuti government of permitting construction activity on municipal plots reserved for public amenities like gardens.

Gaikwad said under Development Control (DC) rules, no development can be carried out on such plots without changing the reservation as per established norms. However, she alleged that the state government has bent the rules to favour its “ladka (favourite) builder.”

Controversial Notification Issued

On July 3, 2025, the state’s urban development department issued a notification proposing a controversial modification in the DC rules, allowing private builders to undertake SRA projects even on public/BMC lands reserved or designated for specific amenities. This change cleared the way for a builder to commercially exploit a suburban plot, something otherwise impossible.

Allegations of Unusual Haste

Gaikwad further alleged, “What is more shocking is that the Devabhau Sarkar implemented this modification in unusual haste, choosing not even to wait for the mandatory public suggestions and objections procedure to be completed. It misused Section 154(1) of the MRTP Act, issuing a directive to the BMC to enforce the modification immediately, even before final sanction.” She questioned, “Why such unusual haste?” claiming it was done specifically to benefit two builders close to the government.

Dangerous Precedent Warned

“This move not only jeopardises Mumbai’s development plan but also sets a dangerous precedent endangering all reserved, public, and BMC-owned plots. I demand that this disastrous notification be withdrawn immediately,” Gaikwad demanded.

Builder’s Request Processed Quickly

Gaikwad said on April 8, 2025, one of the builders wrote to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani seeking restoration of an earlier revoked consent/NOC issued to the CEO SRA on March 4, 2009, for declaration of the BMC plot as a ‘slum’ and allowing the builder to develop it under an SRA scheme along with adjoining plots.

Gaikwad pointed out, “The BMC, which often takes months or even years to respond to citizens’ applications, was unusually quick in processing the builder’s request. On April 9, the very next day, Gagrani wrote on the file, ‘Please get this verified and submit for orders.’”

Fast-Tracked Approvals Alleged

“Such was the hurry that the fact that the wrong subject was mentioned in the builder’s letter also went unnoticed. The entire machinery, which had earlier opposed the same proposal, now acted in unusual haste to clear it.

On April 28, 2025, and May 6, 2025, documents show that representatives of one of the builders held a meeting with Deputy Municipal Commissioner Dr Kiran Dighavkar, where it was decided to accept the builder’s proposal.

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Accordingly, Dighavkar’s office moved a formal proposal on June 9, 2025, which was cleared by Gagrani’s office on June 13, 2025. In other words, once the proposal was initiated, it took just four days to get approvals from all concerned departments and the final approval of the Municipal Commissioner. It is not difficult to imagine where the pressure to fast-track the approval may have come from.

The pressure must have been so immense that these officials conveniently ignored that their predecessors in the chair had taken exactly the opposite stance on the issue not so long ago,” Gaikwad noted.

BMC Commissioner Responds

When contacted by FPJ, Gagrani said the BMC had no role in DC rule modification. As for approving the builders’ proposals, he asserted that no approval has been granted at all. He said the allegation was speculative and premature in the extreme.