Activist Protests BMC’s ₹504 Cr Robotic Parking Tower at Hutatma Chowk Over Alleged Irregularities | Representational Image
Mumbai: Just a day after the BMC started work for a multi-level robotic parking tower (MRPT) at Hutatma Chowk, civic activist Kamlakar Shenoy has raised objections against the project citing various irregularities. The activist has also alleged that the project will endanger people’s lives and demanded legal action against the officials and private firms involved in constructing the parking tower.
The BMC kicked off the construction of a 23-storey MRPT at Hutatma Chowk on Wednesday. The project, estimated at a cost of Rs504.19 crore, is said to provide much-needed relief to the area by offering a parking capacity for 194 cars, according to the civic officials. There was no immediate response from the BMC.
However, civic activist Kamlakar Shenoy has raised objections against the MRPT and demanded to immediately halt the project as well as legal action against allegedly corrupt BMC officials. On Thursday, Shenoy wrote to the BMC Commissioner and alleged financial irregularities in the project, illegalities in the approval process, manipulation in the tender process and lack of public consultation.
Shenoy alleged that no genuine parking demand or feasibility study has been conducted or made publicly available and the project approvals appear to be based on fabricated or undisclosed data. He added that no independent, peer-reviewed traffic impact study has been published to justify this project’s efficiency to ease congestion. Heritage restrictions, legal requirements, and environmental impacts have been intentionally ignored to push this project forward, according to Shenoy.
Shenoy made a shocking allegation stating that the project has been undertaken without securing essential approvals including Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee for development in the Grade I heritage zone, Urban Development Department for land-use change under DCPR 2034, Collector’s Office for land allocation, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for Environmental Impact Assessment, Mumbai Traffic Police for detailed traffic impact study and BMC’s Tree Authority for tree cutting or relocation.
The activist alleged that the eligibility criteria in tender processing were structured to favor preselected bidders, while the project details, estimated costs, and tendering process have not been publicly disclosed. He also alleged that the project cost is artificially inflated, indicating financial mismanagement and possible corruption, demanding an immediate criminal investigation.
The BMC has also been accused of failing to conduct a public consultation or awareness programs before starting work for the project. Shenoy alleged that it is a violation of the citizen participation process mandated under urban development laws. He also demanded names of responsible officers and private firms involved in approving and facilitating this illegal project,
Apart from immediately halting the project until all approvals are legally secured, Shenoy also demanded all project-related documents, NOCs, and approvals to be publicly disclosed as well as an independent audit into the tendering process and inflated costs. He also urged the civic body chief to register an FIR for financial fraud, misrepresentation, and corruption and initiate disciplinary action against BMC officials involved in this illegal approval process.
The letter also warned that if no corrective action is taken within seven days, Shenoy will initiate legal proceedings, including a public interest litigation (PIL) and criminal complaints against the concerned authorities.
“It is evident that the municipal commissioner and additional municipal commissioner have sanctioned this project based on misleading information, arbitrary decision-making, and non-compliance with legal procedures, thereby causing wrongful loss of taxpayers’ money. These actions warrant an immediate investigation,” said Shenoy.
