New lease of state BJP office paves way for multi-storey building

MUMBAI: The state has extended the lease of a prime plot in Mumbai’s Nariman Point to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit for another 30 years, clearing the way for a multi-storey building to replace its existing single-storey premises.

The 2,682-sq m plot that houses the BJP office, located in Nehru Garden right opposite the state secretariat, comes with a plot twist. The episode culminated on Wednesday, when the general administration department issued a government resolution (GR).

The state unit of the BJP had signed a lease with the public works department on January 1, 2019, which expired on December 31, 2024. The GR says the terms of the new lease agreement align with the Development Control and Promotional Rules (DCPR), 2034.

The area is also home to several residential buildings, and the Nariman Point-Churchgate Citizens’ Association (NPCCA) have fought tooth and nail to free up the 6,039-sq m Nehru Garden from government offices like MTDC and the Employment Exchange.

The plot on which the garden stands was reserved as a recreation ground (RG) in the 1961 Development Plan (DP) and the 1991 DP, but was encroached a long time ago. Then, in 2018, the state arbitrarily changed the reservation into commercial/residential use. When the NPCCA protested, the reservation was reversed – but with a twist. The garden was designated as RG+ (Recreation Ground+), which means only 50% of the land was reserved for a recreation ground, and the rest could be used for residential/commercial purposes.

The change in reservation, from RG to RG+, was taken when the state finalised the latest Development Plan for the city, or the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR), 2034. When the NPCCA protested again, all the structures in the garden were demolished, except those occupied by the BJP and the Janata Dal.

Atul Kumar, president of the NPCCA, said, “The BJP office was meant to be a temporary structure. The MTDC and Employment Exchange were encroachments and were removed. The BJP office was over-built up and parts of it were dismantled. But the government changed the reservation in 2018, to save the state BJP office from demolition, despite opposition from local residents, who wanted the garden to be restored as a recreation ground.’’