Mumbai: The Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply
and Transport Undertaking (BEST) did not issue a `no objection
certificate` to the state government for utilising FSI of
Backbay bus depot plot for the controversial Adarsh housing
society, a top official on Friday said.
"Media reports have stated that BEST had given an NOC.
BEST has not issued its NOC for de-reserving the plot reserved
for BEST," Municipal Commissioner Swadhin Kshatriya said.
Kshatriya, who was then BEST general manager, said,
"In the sanctioned development plan, a plot measuring 21,139
sq m was reserved for bus depot and it was handed over by the
collector of Mumbai to the BEST in 1973, on which a depot was
developed in 1976."
A road -- Captain Prakash Pethe Marg -- adjoining to
the depot, measuring 60.97 m was used as access road. In 2002,
the urban development department reduced the width of the road
to 18.40 m, he said.
The state government in a letter dated August 24, 2004
allotted 3,758.82 sq m land adjoining to the bus depot to the
Adarsh society for residential development.
The society had approached the state government
requesting to allow it to utilise the FSI of adjoining plot,
which is under the BEST as an access, for the proposed
residential development, he said.
The BEST had conveyed to the state government that the
Backbay bus depot was operational since 1976. The plot which
is included in the bus depot is under the use of BEST and it
would be required by it in future. The government may take
suitable decision as per the request made by the Adarsh
society to them, Kshatriya said.
In 2006, urban development department and the state
government had decided to delete the reservation of BEST
depot, with the condition that the land shall always be kept
open and used as an approach to BEST depot without any
construction, he said.
PTI
