Promoters had eyes on another Colaba plot

Sandeep Ashar, TNN, Nov 2, 2010

MUMBAI: The controversial Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society (ACHS) had plans to undertake another residential project. It had even approached the Maharashtra government for allotment of a 7,500 sq m plot situated near the Spastic Society of India in Colaba.

ACHS had applied to the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) in November 2007 and the state revenue ministry in December 2007 for the allotment of the second plot.

TOI has documents related to the applications by ACHS to both the authorities. The documents were procured under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. ACHS had proposed to develop the plot to build cheap houses for the ''weaker sections, defence personnel and other deserving classes''.

MCZMA's permission was necessary as the plot is in the CRZ-I belt. It's a foreshore land on the seaward side of residential development area.

In a letter dated November 2007 to the MCZMA chairman, the society requested the state government to redraw the high tide line (HTL) to clear the project from the ''CRZ point of view''. HTL is the line of intersection of the land with the water surface at the time of high tide. Restrictions are imposed on development activity within 500m of the HTL. Minimal construction activity is permitted in these parts.

This plot was located close to the high tide line, where no construction activity is usually permissible. Arguing that there were at least two other buildings which had previously been permitted to be set up right next to the HTL, Adarsh promoters requested processing of their proposal and even urged the state government to modify the HTL to override CRZ concerns.

In another letter to revenue minister Narayan Rane on December 3, 2007, ACHS requested the plot's allotment by arguing that the site was free from mangroves and that development (construction activity) had been permitted in its vicinity.

Following the controversy, Sharma has now offered to surrender her flat.