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If the controversial Crawford Market redevelopment proposal comes up for debate in the BMC, the Samajwadi Party will push for restoration instead of a complete redevelopment. |
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Date:
2008-3-8 |
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 | | The Samajwadi Party will push for restoration instead of redevelopment of Crawford Market if debate is reopened in the BMC. FILE PIC |
If the controversial Crawford Market redevelopment proposal comes up for debate in the BMC, the Samajwadi Party will push for restoration instead of a complete redevelopment. The issue is likely to be discussed in the BMC’s General Body Meeting on March 10.
Explaining the party’s position, SP leader in the BMC, Asma Shaikh said that redevelopment would decrease the heritage value of the market. “Being a grade one heritage building, there is a 1.5 km buffer zone against development. The Crawford Market should be redone on the lines of the BMC building, without any new additions,” she added.
Mrudul Joshi, municipal secretary, said, “The proposal will be reopened for debate if the corporators vote in favour of the discussion.” However, the SP seems skeptical about the debate reopening. Shaikh, said, “I am worried about the fewer number of corporators in favour of reopening the proposal for debate. Last year, our voice voting was suppressed when we opposed the redevelopment. We hope to be heard this time.”
The BMC had approved the redevelopment proposal without a debate on September 11, 2007, following which citizen groups protested against the “sell-out”. Sayyed Barjina Abbas, an SP corporator, then moved a notice of motion to re-open the proposal that allowed East and West Developers to demolish the 11 existing structures at the market and reconstruct it vertically with an FSI of four.
The Congress, however, plans to continue pushing for redevelopment by a private developer. |
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