Development Plan: Samajwadi Party suggests 3 panels for reviewing suggestions

As the BMC is in the process of drafting the new Development Plan (DP) for 2014-34, Samajwadi Party group leader in the civic body, Rais Shaikh, has suggested that three separate planning committees should be set up to review.

suggestions from citizens on the draft DP, which is expected to come out in April next year.

The proposal is expected to come in the group leaders' meeting this week.

According to Shaikh, section 28 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, only one planning committee will be formed for the entire city. The committee will comprise three members from BMC's standing committee and four experts, appointed by the state government.

"One committee should be for the island city and the other two for the eastern and western suburbs. This will help in a better review of the suggestions and objections and also reduce the delay in bringing out the DP," said Shaikh.

As per his proposal, the BMC has already got more than 4 lakh suggestions and objections from city residents, as part of the process.

The committee will conduct hearing of citizens who file suggestions. Within two months, it is supposed to submit a report to the BMC with these suggestions.

Citizens will get a period of 60 days to submit their feedback, after the draft DP is published. Accordingly, BMC can make modifications to the draft before the final submission to the state.