Misuse of public land should be nipped in the bud

Setback area outside Heritage Solitaire building being used to park on-sale two-wheelers

Chembur residents have raised concerns over the alleged misuse of public land along Ramakrishna Chemburkar Marg (RC Marg), claiming that setback areas, which are mandatory, open spaces surrounding a building, earmarked for future road widening are being used by shopkeepers and showroom owners, possibly by paying rent to developers.

According to locals, several high-rise buildings have come up along the stretch over the past five to six years, but the setback land meant for road widening has been encroached upon by commercial establishments, our report said.

Residents say no road-widening work has begun yet, even though the land is supposed to be handed over to the BMC. A citizen activist stated that under BMC rules, developers must hand over the setback portion of land to the Development Plan (DP) department once construction is approved.

Locals say the stretch experiences heavy traffic during peak hours, and widening the road would ease congestion.

An officer said the BMC has begun taking corrective measures after receiving complaints like issuing notices to developers to remove structures or activities on the setback land.

The civic authorities need to maintain constant vigil and be alive and alert to structures/development on setback land at the inception stage itself.

Though road widening cannot begin because construction of some buildings along the stretch is still underway, as an official explained, every attempt must be made to take back the area and then put it for public use.