In a first, NMMC to publish draft development plan

Vashi: In a first, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) will begin the process of hearings on the suggestions and objections raised by residents on the proposed Development Plan (DP) 2038. So far, CIDCO – the planning authority for the city – was formulating the DP. The civic body has taken up the initiative for 2018 to 2038.

NMMC had received more than 18,500 suggestions and objections till October 31, 2022. The hearing process will commence on March 14 and notices will be served from this week.

“Before the DP can be sent to the state government for final sanction, it was mandated as per the MRTP Act to conduct hearings of all the suggestions and objections received. Preparations are underway to conduct the hearings smoothly and a special planning committee has been formed,” said the Town Planning Officer, NMMC, Somnath Kekan.

The proposed plan was released in August 2022.

The Town Planning department has asked ward offices to issue notices to citizens for the hearings of their suggestions and objections in the next few days. A detailed schedule has been prepared by the administration to undertake the hearings which will go on until March 29, 2023.

A four-member committee comprising two senior retired town planning officials and two experts from the field of town planning, environment and engineering has been constituted. Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar will be the administrator.

“Suggestions and objections received have been categorised into groups. The concerns about infrastructure and amenities have been clubbed into node-wise classification. After this, the concerns of specific nature are to be heard separately,” said an official.

Following the hearings, the committee will submit their report and recommendation to the administration.