The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to deploy private safety guards to stop encroachers from occupying vacant land parcels of their ownership spread across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Alibaug, Pen, Khalapur, Palghar, Vasai-Virar amongst other locations.
It has floated a tender seeking for an agency to present 400 safety guards for its house spread across unique places. The state government in June 2019, had extended the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) by 2,000 sq. km creating MMRDA the particular organizing authority in order to allow investment in these places and give increase to significant ticket infra projects.
A senior official who did not want to be named mentioned, “By deploying guards we will safeguard our property. If timely action is not taken many a times it also leads to unwanted controversy and court cases despite the property belonging to government, further affecting development work.”
Usually the MMRDA tends to make income by leasing out its house so to facilitate funding for its several infrastructure improvement functions. It has a land bank worth of crores of rupees. Moreover, it earns practically Rs 10 crore annually only by renting out its significant open grounds at BKC for exhibition purposes.
Reportedly, the MMRDA in July 2019 had created the greatest land deal in the nation with a Japanese organization Sumitomo. It managed to sell a 3-acre land parcel in the Bandra Kurla Complex for Rs 2,238 crore. Similarly, it is also seeking for purchasers for its two amalgamated plots in BKC for a reserve price tag of Rs 2000 crore.
Since, the MMRDA is a improvement authority engaged in lengthy-term organizing and implementation of strategic projects and financing infrastructure improvement in MMR the income created by way of such offers is utilised on these projects largely. At present, it is carrying out significant infrastructure projects of worth crores of rupees like 14 unique metro lines in MMR, Mumbai Trans Harbour Sea Link (MTHL) amongst other individuals.