Pune Times Mirror: Pune: Friday, 31 January 2025.
The plot has been leased for 30 years, with a premium of approximately Rs 5 crore and ground rent
The Maharashtra government
has come under scrutiny for allegedly bypassing legal procedures to allocate a
Rs 100 crore plot in Mumbai to cricketer Ajinkya Rahane without a tender
process.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar claims that the reasons cited for this decision lack legal validity, rendering the entire transaction unlawful.
The plot, designated for an indoor cricket training centre, is currently valued at over Rs 100 crore. It was previously allotted to former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar for the same purpose. However, the government has now decided to reallocate it to Ajinkya Rahane without a tender process, Kumbhar told Pune Mirror.
The Gavaskar Foundation submitted a request to the government on April 5, 2022, to return the plot due to non-utilisation and failure to implement the lease agreement. In response, the government cancelled the allocation on June 23, 2022.
The state government has now decided to reallocate the plot to Rahane for establishing an indoor cricket training centre. Reports suggest that local representatives pushed for this move, believing Rahane would successfully develop the sports facility.
Kumbhar asked, “Is the state government suggesting that Gavaskar lacked the capacity to start an indoor cricket training centre, which Rahane now possesses? When the plot was given to Gavaskar, there was consent for 15 per cent construction on it. This has now been changed, allowing for construction as per the Mumbai Development Promotion Rules, 2034, thus permitting the cricket training and sports centre. Notably, this plot has been leased without any tender process, making it illegal.”
He said, “How can the cabinet make decisions to allocate public property by bypassing laws and trampling on rules? There is nothing wrong with giving land to sportspersons for sports training, but changing rules and bypassing laws in the manner decisions have been made is entirely improper. Does the cabinet consider itself the guardian or the owner of the state’s properties?”
Why it took 34 years?
“ In 1988 , MHADA gave a 2,000 square m e t r e p l o t worth crores at B a n d r a Reclamation, Mumbai, to Sunil Gavaskar for an indoor cricket training centre. It is not known what the rent was at that time. Ideally, a cricket training centre should have been set up on such a plot within a year. If not, the government would immediately take back possession of the plot. However, it took Gavaskar 34 years to realise that a cricket training centre could not be established on this plot, which is astonishing,” said Kumbhar.
Meanwhile, Rahane, who captains Mumbai Ranji team, declined to comment, saying, “Since the Ranji matches are ongoing, I cannot comment on this matter now. The academy has not yet started. I am not aware of the objections regarding this. I can speak on this only after gathering more information.”
Suspicious transactions
Such plots cannot be suddenly given to anyone. A proper tender process must be conducted. Before the code of conduct, the government takes such a decision and illegally transfers this Rs 100 crore plot. The reasons provided by the government for this decision are very flimsy. The plot is currently in bad condition, and slum dwellers are using it illegally.
Local representatives and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane demanded this plot for establishing a modern cricket training centre, and the government said it took this decision accordingly. The entire transaction for this plot is suspicious, and the documents have been manipulated to justify it, Kumbhar pointed out.
The plot has been leased for 30 years, with a premium of approximately Rs 5 crore and ground rent
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar claims that the reasons cited for this decision lack legal validity, rendering the entire transaction unlawful.
The plot, designated for an indoor cricket training centre, is currently valued at over Rs 100 crore. It was previously allotted to former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar for the same purpose. However, the government has now decided to reallocate it to Ajinkya Rahane without a tender process, Kumbhar told Pune Mirror.
The Gavaskar Foundation submitted a request to the government on April 5, 2022, to return the plot due to non-utilisation and failure to implement the lease agreement. In response, the government cancelled the allocation on June 23, 2022.
The state government has now decided to reallocate the plot to Rahane for establishing an indoor cricket training centre. Reports suggest that local representatives pushed for this move, believing Rahane would successfully develop the sports facility.
Kumbhar asked, “Is the state government suggesting that Gavaskar lacked the capacity to start an indoor cricket training centre, which Rahane now possesses? When the plot was given to Gavaskar, there was consent for 15 per cent construction on it. This has now been changed, allowing for construction as per the Mumbai Development Promotion Rules, 2034, thus permitting the cricket training and sports centre. Notably, this plot has been leased without any tender process, making it illegal.”
He said, “How can the cabinet make decisions to allocate public property by bypassing laws and trampling on rules? There is nothing wrong with giving land to sportspersons for sports training, but changing rules and bypassing laws in the manner decisions have been made is entirely improper. Does the cabinet consider itself the guardian or the owner of the state’s properties?”
Why it took 34 years?
“ In 1988 , MHADA gave a 2,000 square m e t r e p l o t worth crores at B a n d r a Reclamation, Mumbai, to Sunil Gavaskar for an indoor cricket training centre. It is not known what the rent was at that time. Ideally, a cricket training centre should have been set up on such a plot within a year. If not, the government would immediately take back possession of the plot. However, it took Gavaskar 34 years to realise that a cricket training centre could not be established on this plot, which is astonishing,” said Kumbhar.
Meanwhile, Rahane, who captains Mumbai Ranji team, declined to comment, saying, “Since the Ranji matches are ongoing, I cannot comment on this matter now. The academy has not yet started. I am not aware of the objections regarding this. I can speak on this only after gathering more information.”
Suspicious transactions
Such plots cannot be suddenly given to anyone. A proper tender process must be conducted. Before the code of conduct, the government takes such a decision and illegally transfers this Rs 100 crore plot. The reasons provided by the government for this decision are very flimsy. The plot is currently in bad condition, and slum dwellers are using it illegally.
Local representatives and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane demanded this plot for establishing a modern cricket training centre, and the government said it took this decision accordingly. The entire transaction for this plot is suspicious, and the documents have been manipulated to justify it, Kumbhar pointed out.
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