Kandivali's 116-acre MIDC plot to be cleared of clubs & other illegal entities

Following a series of reports by midday concerning violations on the 116498acre land in Kandivali Industrial Estate located at Kandivali West the Revenue Department issued a letter to Mumbairsquos Suburban Collector instructing action against these violations on land that is supposed to be used for industrial purposesSimultaneously BMC officials directed the Charkop police to file an FIR against Kannada actor Rajshekhar Kotian for an illegal restaurant Golden Leaf Pure Veg constructed on this industrial land A prior FIR was registered against the Rule34 restaurant and bar at Charkop The Revenue Department sent a letter to the collector on November 29 after midday reported multiple violations on the industry land Mumbai Suburban Collector Rajendra Bhosale said ldquoWe have received a letter from the Revenue Department of Konkan division and we will take action appropriatelyrdquoRajshekhar Kotian owner of Golden Lead restaurant Reji Abraham activist who raised concerns about extensive violationsActivist Reji Abraham president of the United Association for Social Educational and Public Welfare Trust raised concerns about extensive violations involving mismanagement of the governmentowned land affecting public funds and interests ldquoWe recently filed a Public Interest Litigation PIL in the Bombay High Court in October regarding this layout We initially raised these concerns with all relevant authoritiesmdashrevenue BMC police and othersmdashin 2021 Several violating unit holders due to our public movement have received notices for conducting unauthorised businesses that contradict the BMC industrial layout specified in the Development Plan DP rules In one case an FIR has even been filedrdquo Reji saidldquoThree consecutive collectors including the current one Rajendra Bhosale have issued notices and conducted preliminary inquiries Violations extend beyond illegal business operations and constructions they involve substantial misuse of lease clauses resulting in unearned government profits and outstanding lease dues amounting to thousands of crores by various units within the layoutrdquo Reji added Therersquos a massive scam involving extensive and ongoing violations resulting in the misuse of public land causing loss to the state treasury and misappropriation of public fundsThis industrial layout dates back to 1961 with lease rates finalised in 1982 at Rs 630 to Rs 660 per square foot applied retroactively However this retroactive implementation has led to numerous discrepancies unacceptable delays in lease recoveries and illegal activities such as inflated sales and mortgagesmdasheffectively siphoning public funds from banks including nationalised ones There have been illegal subleases executed without government NOCs and violations related to mandated revenue shares These violations have persisted due to the apathy and collusion of enforcing authorities with vested interestsThe letter from Tahsildar Madhuri Dongre highlighted the misuse of the 116acre land intended for industrial purposes It emphasised the necessity of taking action against violators to rectify the landrsquos misuse Although an FIR was lodged against the Rule34 bar and restaurant for altering the landrsquos use no further action has been takenThe industrial land has been exploited for various unauthorised businesses including bars restaurants banquet halls boutiques car service centres cricket and football turfs and more The Mumbai suburbs collector acknowledged these violations but noted delayed action and oversights by enforcement authorities seemingly in collaboration with vested interestsKannada actor Rajshekhar Kotian faced BMC scrutiny for his Golden Leaf Pure Veg restaurant on the industrial land The BMC instructed the Charkop police to register an FIR against Kotian for altering the landrsquos useThe BMCrsquos R South Ward Junior Engineer Santosh Jayaram Pawar directed the senior inspector of Charkop police station to file an FIR against Kotian for unauthorised development and change of land use In a purported letter the junior engineer cited Kotianrsquos unauthorised activities under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act of 1966 indicating Kotianrsquos noncompliance with notices and deemed it an offence under Section 7 of Section 53 of the said actThe letter urged law enforcement to take cognizance of the offence and handle it appropriately The Mumbai Suburbs Collector had also issued arrears recovery notices totalling R3632 crore to 17 units within this government industrial layoutSenior Inspector Jyoti Ghansham BagulBhopale of Charkop police station said ldquoWe received a letter from the BMC instructing us to register an FIR against the Golden Leaf Restaurant We have also sent a letter to the BMC requesting an officer to come to the police station for the FIR registration We will proceed with registering the FIR accordinglyrdquoldquoRecently FIR procedures for change of land use have been initiated against Rajshekhar Kotian for operating the illicit eatery called Golden Leaf constructed illegally within this governmentowned industrial layout Kotian had falsely claimed the regularisation of the hotelrsquos illegalities at the Dindoshi Metropolitan Court which competent BMC authorities have refuted Notably these activities receive active support from influential local political representativesOur intent in raising thisissue is solely to safeguard public interests exposing numerous similar violations at this extensive government industrial layout established with public funds to serve public interests rather than line the pockets of private vested interests and corrupt government officialsrdquo explained RejiNov 29Day Revenue Department sent letter to collector