The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to modify laws for preventing a major part of Mumbai’s new development blueprint from lapsing. Under the prevailing provisions of the Maharashtra Region Town Planning Act, 1966, the proposals would have lapsed if not sanctioned before the end of July. While Mumbai’s new development plan (DCPR-2034) came into being on September 1, 2018, major land use and floor space index modifications proposed to the draft development blueprint were separately notified as the ‘excluded plan’ of the Mumbai DP, most of which are yet to get the government nod. On Wednesday, the state cabinet amended the Act, exempting the period of coronavirus lockdown from the time period for sanctioning the EP. It contended that meetings for finalising the EP proposals could not be held during the period of the lockdown, and that not condoning the period and the subsequent lapsing of the portion of the development plan would have hurt the city’s development. The extension will be applicable for all urban local bodies and town planning agencies across the state. Besides Mumbai, the excluded part of Shirdi’s development plan, and the entire development plans for Need, Mahur and the fringe areas of Aurangabad would have lapsed this month. The government will promulgate an ordinance in this regard. Meanwhile, in another development, the government agreed to half the lease rent for a cooperative society of food vendors operating from the Juhu beach on the basis of an order issued by the Supreme Court. State officials said that 43 vendors will benefit from the move.
