State issues GR to regularise Navi Mum PAPs’ ‘need based’ houses

NAVI MUMBAI: A four-decade long demand of Navi Mumbai Project Affected Persons (PAP) is finally about to be fulfilled, just weeks ahead of the assembly elections in the state. Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday announced at an event in Airoli on Sunday that he has signed the file that will ensure PAPs can legally own their homes, benefiting thousands from Navi Mumbai, Panvel and Uran. And, on Monday, a government resolution (GR) was issued to this effect.

PAPs had been demanding regularisation of their ‘need based’ (garjepoti) houses with claims of expansion of their houses over the years to accommodate growing families. They blame it on delay in allotment of the promised 12.5% developed land by CIDCO for the land acquired in 95 villages for developing Navi Mumbai.

Speaking at a bhoomipujan programme for a Koli Bhavan in Airoli on Sunday evening, Shinde announced that deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was in agreement with his decision. Fadnavis was also present at the programme.

“We understand PAP families have grown and, hence, they had to construct houses. We have decided to regularise all PAP need-based houses which have been termed illegal. I have signed the file to ensure their legality and PAP ownership,” said Shinde.

Previously, the regulariation was limited to plinth area within which the PAP families reside, while the area outside used by the PAPs was excluded. On Sunday, Shinde brought them much relief when he declared, “That too will be regularised. The premium has been reduced to make it affordable. The decision will benefit villages and the gaothan expansion scheme (GES) areas. The discrepancies in the earlier GR have been taken care of and concerns of the PAPs have been addressed.”

It was Eknath Shinde who as the then urban development minister in the MVA government, had announced in February, 2022, that all houses constructed up till February 25, 2022, would be regularised. The PAPs, however, demanded reduction in premium charges. In the Government Resolution (GR) of December 7, 2022, the government, now led by Shinde, slashed it by 50%. But not much headway could be achieved as a number of issues still remained unresolved.

Sharing details about the latest decision of the Shinde-led government, retired IAS officer and Shiv Sena deputy leader Vijay Nahata, who was involved in the drafting, said earlier only one house of a PAP was to be regularised. “Now, all houses will be regularised. There was no provision for use of unused FSI despite it being available due to new regulations. Now PAPs will get it in the form of a TDR to be used elsewhere.”

He said even commercial construction, land under buildings in congested areas, and gaothans will be regularised. “Even non-PAP houses will be regularised albeit at double the premium. A geo-spatial survey will soon be conducted to decide on the boundaries and collect information of houses, population, etc.”

Whereas premium payable will be minuscule, according to Nahata, as only 15% of the reserve price (RP) will have to be paid for up to 250 sq m area and 25% for up to 500 sq m. “With the average RP being ₹15,000 per sq m, PAPs will hardly have to pay ₹200 per sq ft, which is acceptable to them,” he said.

Credit war

NAVI MUMBAI: Even before the GR was issued, a race started among the Mahayuti party leaders to claim credit. Belapur BJP MLA Manda Mhatre came forward to claim her share. “I have been constantly following up on the issue with the CM and the officials. The issue was explained and resolved at a meeting I had held 15 months back with Shinde. The decision was delayed due to Lok Sabha elections. Now, people are trying to mislead, claiming they have got it done.”

Airoli BJP MLA Ganesh Naik, who held a meeting with Shinde in August to discuss various issues, claimed that the CM had then accepted their demand for ownership rights to the PAPs for their land.

Dismissing such claims, Shiv Sena leader Vijay Nahata said, “The so-called PAP leaders never seriously took up the issue or understood the technicalities. PAPs were used only for electoral purposes. They indulged in submitting memorandums only for photo-ops. Since I have been an IAS officer, I understood the technical aspects and my contacts with government officials helped me take up the PAPs’ demands.”