While portions of the Mulund landfill have been reclaimed, the proposed 15-acre parcel still contains 2.5-3 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste, requiring removal, site remediation, soil stabilisation and levelling before use

Mumbai: BMC’s proposal to lease 15 acres of land at Mulund dumping ground to Dharavi Redevelopment Project for five years to set up a casting yard, precast element manufacturing facility and ready-mix concrete (RMC) plant was passed by the BJP-Shiv Sena-led improvements committee on Friday, despite stiff opposition from Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress members.Opposing the proposal, former Mumbai Mayor Vishakha Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) said: “The people of Mulund will never forgive the ruling party for passing this proposal as the land could have been used for a larger public amenity.”Sena (UBT) corporator Sachin Padwal suggested that the RMC plant should be located in Dharavi itself as “Mulund is too far”. “History has also shown that public land once given never comes back to the civic body,” he said. Congress corporator Raja Rahebar Khan pointed out that in the past, a plot in Bandra West had been provided for Bandra-Worli sea link-related works, and subsequently was sold to Adani.Padwal further alleged that the several plot reservation changes had been made in the past six months. “In six months, there have been 42 proposals only for reservation changes,” he claimed. BJP’s Swapna Mhatre hit back saying that one of tasks of the improvements committee is to deliberate on land reservation changes on the Development Plan.Defending the proposal, Mulund corporator Prakash Gangadhare of BJP said the land was being provided for the benefit of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. “Please see the terms and conditions which clearly mention that it will be given on lease,” he told the opposition corporators.BJP corporator Aneesh Makwaney claimed that the opposition was attempting to stall the project aimed at improving living conditions in Dharavi. “Dharavi people are living in poor conditions. Our government is trying to improve their living conditions and you are trying to halt development, which includes construction of a casting yard,” he said.Shiv Sena corporator and improvements committee chairperson Sandhya Doshi said all members were given an opportunity to express their views before the proposal was sanctioned.BMC’s proposal: To lease 15 acres of land at Mulund dumping ground to Adani Navbharat Developers Pvt Ltd, the special purpose vehicle implementing the Dharavi Redevelopment Project in partnership with the state, for five years to set up a casting yard, precast element manufacturing facility and ready-mix concrete plantWhile portions of the site have been reclaimed, the proposed 15-acre parcel still contains 2.5-3 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste, requiring removal, site remediation, soil stabilisation and levelling before useCost: Adani Navbharat Developers Pvt Ltd will undertake remediation of the site at an estimated cost of Rs 20.04 crore, which will be adjusted against the lease rental after verification by chief engineer of solid waste management department. Following this adjustment, BMC will receive a net rental of Rs 83.44 crore, while the total amount payable, including 18% GST, will be about Rs 100 crore