Amending civic concerns

Nov 25, 2008,

Now the deck is cleared for the repair of basic infrastructure and built condominiums in Navi Mumbai, following the green signal given by the urban development lowing the green signal by the urban development department to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) .The civic administration has sought the approval for appropriating a Rs 1.56 crore fund for laying new infrastructure in CIDCO condominiums. Once approved, the work of laying new pipelines for sewerage, water supply and storm water drainage will be executed in a phased manner at CIDCO condominiums at Nerul, Vashi, and Belapur, according to Standing Committee chairman, Sandeep Naik.

Over the last three decades, most residents of CIDCO condominiums had been suffering untold difficulties due to the aged and outdated infrastructure in their societies."with the sewerage pipes leaking, stench has become a regular feature in many societies. Water supply was just for name's sake, as the pipes were incapable of bearing the pressure of reaching water above the ground floor. CIDCO, from whom we purchased the flats, had refused to replace the broken and decayed pipes, and they preferred to pass the onus on NMMC. NMMC, on the other hand, said that the works should be carried out by the residents at their cost. Being unable to raise a huge fund, we have been living with these problems for the past 10-15 years."An informed source in NMMC said that the issue had become more complicated because of the dual authority system."As Soon as CIDCO transferred all developed nodes to NMMC in 1999, NMMC had made an attempt to address the issue after repairing the outdated infrastructure in some CIDCO condominiums. Because of the dual authority system. "As soon as CIDCO transferred all developed nodes to NMMC in 1999, NMMC had made an attempt to address the issue after repairing the outdated infrastructure in some CIDCO condominiums. However, the work was aborted when the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of India took objection to NMMC spending money in CIDCO-built condominiums. Meanwhile, in 2006, NMMC had replaced the infrastructure in few condominiums after levying a nominal service charge from the tenants. But this proposal was also put on hold when some societies opposed the idea of development works by the funds generated from the residents,” said the source.

Sandeep Naik said, “About 50,000 tenants occupying CIDCO flats have been demanding the repair and replacement of the aged infrastructure of Sewerage, water supply and roads in their condominiums. Though NMMC wanted to do such works at its own cost, the urban development department did not permit us on administrative grounds. As a result, all the development works in the CIDCO condominiums were stalled for many years.”
Naik added that the issue had been, however, resolved in a recent meeting between chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Excise and Labour minister, Ganesh Naik The CM has given us the green signal to execute the development works in CIDCO condominium. NMMC had already made Rs 32 crore provision in the last budget for repairing or replacing the infrastructure, as the case may be. Replacing the water pipes and construction of interior roads will be taken up in the second phase.”

“In the first phase, about Rs 46 lakh and Rs 29 lakh will be spent for Vashi Nagar Rsidents Association, at Sector 2, and Nakshtara Residents Association at Sector 9 of Vashi respectively, for upgrading the sewerage lines. All sewerage lines in Varun Society and Seawood Society in sector 6, Nerul, will be upgraded by spending Rs 30 lakh, while all B-type colonies in sector 3, CBD Belapur, will get Rs 54 lakh for the same purpose,” said Naik.