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Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh on Thursday strongly defended the land deal in Wakad that his administration has signed with a developer and has drawn flak from different quarters stating that there is nothing illegal about the deal and that the project is in the best interest of the city.
However, the municipal commissioner refused to reveal how much the builder will benefit from the project as allegations have been raised that the land deal has been chalked out in a way such that it is more in the favour of the developer.
“We have signed a deal which will benefit both the civic body and the city. The project is strictly as per the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR). There is nothing illegal about the project,” said Singh during a presentation of the project that was shown to the media at the PCMC headquarters on Thursday.
Stating that there have been many objections to the project, Singh said, ”We are analysing the objections and will take an appropriate decision on it. If we find there is even one per cent problem with the project, we will not go ahead with it.”
The project has been proposed on a two acre plot belonging to a builder in Wakad area of Pimpri-Chinchwad. The builder owned five acres of land. However, years ago, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) put reservation on its development plan.
Last year, the builder proposed to construct a 21-floor building and a bus terminus of the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mandal Limited (PMPML) on two-and-half acres of the land and in return sought Transfer of Development Rights (TDR). The PCMC was to return the remaining two-and-a-half acre plot to him.
The project came under fire as state Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar and then Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders in Pimpri-Chinchwad alleged that the deal was signed in favour of the developer, who will make crores from it. The PCMC and the builder both had then denied the allegations.
During the presentation on Thursday, the PCMC commissioner explained how the land deal, on which the developer has proposed to construct the building and the bus terminus, will benefit the civic body and how it will be one of the best buildings in terms, design, architecture, looks and quality.
Singh said it will be equipped with all modern amenities such as swimming pool, a gym, a cafeteria and ample parking space.
“The project is located ideally along the Mumbai–Bangalore highway and will benefit those working in Hinjewadi IT park area. It will add to the glory of this industrial city. PCMC will get Rs 60 crore annually without spending a rupee on its construction. We will get a PMPML bus terminus…,” he said.
Stressing that there has been no violation of rules, the municipal chief said, “We are strictly following the UDCPR. Hence, there is no question of violation of rules,” he said.
The main allegations levelled against the PCMC administration relate to higher construction cost given to the builder. Instead of the 26,000 per square metre rate prevailing in the area, the developer has been apparently alloted Rs 65,000 per square metre cost of construction. ”We are following the District Schedule of Rates (DSR). The rate for this building will certainly be different from other buildings. But all this is as per the norms,” he said.
As per the TDR benefit the builder will get, the PCMC chief said, ”Under the UDCPR, there is a provision of Accommodation Reservation Principle wherin the reserved plot holder constructs a building and hands it over to us and in turn gets TDR. He can use the TDR in his project elsewhere.”
Singh said currently, there is a shortage of TDR in the market. “If the builder uses the alloted TDR required in his project and makes the remaining TDR available in the market, it will ultimately help the end users…the flat buyers. If more TDR is available, the rate of the flats drops,” he said.
The PCMC chief however did not reveal how much the builder will profit from the project.
The MVA has alleged a big scam in the project. Even Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has asked the PCMC chief to check all legal aspects before going ahead with the project.
The commissioner also denied that they rushed into the project. ”We took one entire year to study the project. It went through various stages of approval, including approval of the TDR committee….It was certainly not approved overnight or in a day,” he said.
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