Sans building plan sanction, VCA’s Jamtha Stadium is unauthorized

Times of India: Nagpur: Thursday, 07 January 2016.

The Vidarbha Cricket Association's (VCA) Jamtha stadium is an unauthorized structure as its building plan has not been approved by the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT). The NIT, that is otherwise always eager to initiate action against unauthorized residential structures, has continued to overlook the violation despite being in the know if it.

Inaugurated in 2008, the stadium had hosted over 30 matches including 13 internationals. Earlier, the stadium had no fire preventive and safety system. TOI had exposed the brazen violation in October 2013 following which the VCA installed the system and also obtained permissions from the Maharashtra Fire Services on October 10, 2015.

TOI investigations and documents obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) Act by activist Kamlesh Shah have revealed the fresh violation by VCA.

As per details, the VCA had converted 1,31,900 sq.mt land situated at mouza Jamtha from agriculture to non-agriculture from the district administration on October 6, 2005. Later, it got the layout plan approval from the district administration. Then, the VCA had submitted an application with the district administration seeking building plan sanction for stadium and club house.

On June 6, 2007, the district administration had asked the state town planning department to verify the VCA's proposed building plan. Accordingly, the department verified the plan and issued recommendation letter to the district administration on July 7, 2007 giving green signal for sanctioning the building plan. However, the VCA's building plan does not have a sanction from the district administration.

Shah told TOI that no structure can be constructed and utilized without building plan sanction. "Between 2001 and 2010, the district administration was the sanctioning authority of the area where stadium is located. The district administration has to issue a letter giving approval to building plan as like building permit issued by the NIT or NMC. Also, district administration has to stamp the plan and sign it. All these were not followed," he said.

In reply to Shah's RTI application, deputy collector (NA) through a letter dated November 7, 2015 informed no documents, information or details with the district administration about stadium's building plan approval. "Building plan of stadium not available in the department's records. Also no documents available with the department about given building plan approval to stadium," the official said.

From 2010, the NIT had become special planning authority of metro region in which the stadium falls. Following Shah's complaints, the NIT metro region office, West Division and South division had issued notices to VCA asking to submit building plan sanction of the stadium in 2013 and 2014. The VCA had not provided any documents and also not replied to NIT's letters.

Following TOI's follow-up, an NIT official managed to get state town planning department's recommendation letter and recommended plan from the VCA.

"We will issue another letter asking VCA to submit building plan approval from the district administration. A notice under Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act will be issued to VCA for demolition of structures in case it does not get building plan approval," NIT official said.

VCA president Prakash Dixit informed that the state town planning department approved the stadium's building plan. Since the last 30 days, TOI has been enquiring with Dixit about approval from the district administration but he has failed to respond to calls and messages.

The VCA had also not taken approval from the district sports officer before commencing construction of stadium. District administration had laid 27 conditions while giving NA permission. One of the conditions was to seek district sports officer approval.

District sports officer Vijay Santan said no documents related to the approval of Jamtha Stadium was available with him. "I am here for last three years and never heard about VCA taking approval for stadium. I too verified with officer who was having charge at that time and he too does not remember," he said.

Shah has asked the NIT to issue a notice for demolition of the stadium. "By not taking building approval, the VCA has caused a loss to the NIT and state government. Development charges along with other types of fees can run into crores in case of a stadium," he said.