All legal procedures followed for constructing Bal Thackeray Memorial: BMC, MHCC to Bombay High Court

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) have told the Bombay High Court that all requisite permissions were obtained and procedures followed before allotting land for constructing a memorial for Shiv Sena supremo late Bal Thackeray..The two bodies were responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition challenging the Maharashtra government's decision of 2017 to convert an old mayor bungalow at Shivaji Park in Dadar into a memorial.The government had also allotted an adjacent plot of land for the purpose, which the PIL petitioner, Bhagwanji Riyani, claimed was part of the 'green zone' as per the development plan.In its affidavit filed before the High Court, the BMC stated that due process of law had been followed before allotting land for the memorial in Mumbai at a nominal rate.The civic authority apprised the Court that in 2018 the then Maharashtra government had sanctioned the change of the plot from ‘green zone’ to ‘residential zone’.This change was in accordance with the provisions of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act (MRTP), the affidavit said..MHCC meanwhile submitted that they had been approached and valid permissions had been granted for the construction project.The affidavit elaborated that the committee had been approached for a no-objection certificate for the construction of the memorial in May 2018, which was granted.The permission for construction on an adjacent plot for a museum and entrance block was also granted in July 2020, the affidavit stated..The case will be heard by the Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik on August 25..The PIL before the Court has also challenged the State government's decision to allocate ₹100 crore as a budget for setting up of the memorial.The PIL has also assailed an amendment to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act by which BMC was allowed to leave an immovable property of the corporation to any person at a nominal rate of ₹1 per annum.The petition said that the entire machinery was being moved for a private individual when the amount could be used for other important things.Maharashtra government in its response filed earlier, had said that it was the State's discretion to allot land and money for the memorial.