Mumbai: In Borivali, civic school remains only on paper

The plot at the old MHB colony is reserved for a school in BMC’s DP 2034. Pic/Anurag Ahire

A proposed municipal school at the old MHB Colony in Borivali remains merely on paper amid the inaction of government authorities. The MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) appears to be dragging its feet in handing over the plot for the school to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In February 2023, BMC's deputy municipal architect (school infrastructure cell) had written to the MHADA, asking it to hand over the plot. The letter mentioned that the plot bearing CTS number 240 at the old MHB colony in Borivali West, measuring around 1,436.62 square metres has been reserved for a school according to the 2034 Development Plan (DP). A BMC-appointed project management consultant had proposed a ground-plus-six-storey school and drawings had been prepared accordingly.

"The CEO MHADA is hereby requested to offer remarks/approvals on the proposal," the BMC official's letter said. Accordingly, in a meeting of MHADA officials on July 17, 2023, the BMC's letter was discussed. According to the minutes of the meeting, MHADA officials informed their seniors that the plot had been handed over to the BMC around 40 years ago but the civic body did not construct a school.

The minutes further revealed that there was a proposal from housing societies for cluster development of the MHB colony. In the cluster development plan, a new building was proposed on the plot where the school was to come up and the school itself was shifted to another plot.

"The permissions given by MHADA to the developer have been cancelled. The developer has challenged the same in the Bombay High Court. The case is subjudice and this has been communicated to the BMC by MHADA through an official correspondence on July 4, 2023," the minutes read. According to information provided by the MHADA CEO in the meeting, the authority cancelled the NOC, IOA and CC given to the developer. "The executive engineer of the Borivali division should submit a proposal to cancel the amended layout plan and restore it to the original layout," the CEO instructed in the meeting according to the minutes.

Activist Sandeep Burkul said that the school should be built on the original plot. "It has been over five months since MHADA's meeting. Yet there has been no action by MHADA to hand over the plot to the BMC. The delay is depriving citizens of a municipal school that can provide education to children at an affordable cost."

MHADA mulls new plans: When asked about the delay in handing over the plot, Sanjeev Jaiswal, vice president, MHADA, told mid-day, "I am not aware of the issue and will have to check on the same."

However, Milind Borikar, CEO, MHADA, said that they are contemplating a new plan, which includes changing the reservation of the plot from municipal school to school. "We will hand over the designated reserved plot to the BMC whenever it requests for the same. Meanwhile, MHADA is also considering sending a proposal to Urban Development (UD) to get the reservation changed from municipal school to school."

The CEO further explained that the utility of the plot will remain as a school. "Changing reservation from ‘municipal school' to ‘school' will help MHADA generate revenue by selling the designated plot in the open market for construction of the school," Borikar added.

July 17
Day in 2023 MHADA discussed plot's handover