Assotech Realty to construct 125 luxurious suites in Shirdi

NASHIK: Real estate firm Assotech Realty today announced a premier service residential project with an investment of Rs 100 crore in pilgrimage town of Shirdi in Maharashtra.

"The project named as 'Sandal Suites' will provide the comfort and luxury at affordable cost and also the investment opportunity," Assotech Realty managing director Neeraj Gulati told press conference here.

The New Delhi-based company has completed acquisition of 2.5 acres of land for the project which envisages building 125 elegantly designed suites in the vicinity of the famous Shirdi shrine.

Among amenities to be provided at the project are a small temple of Saibaba, a meditation hall, a Yoga centre, swimming pools and other facilities.

Gulati said a small shopping area, a concierge and a travel desk will be constructed for residents of Sandal Suites, besides vegetarian restaurants for visitors.

The project is likely to be completed by 2016.










Assotech Realty to construct 125 luxurious suites in Shirdi - The Economic Times

Nashik Municipal Corporation to speed up land acquisition worth Rs 500 crore

NASHIK: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) administration has decided to speed up the acquisition of land at 46 locations across the city, estimated to cost around Rs 500 crore.

The civic administration has shortlisted these 46, out of a total of 225 acquisition proposals, on a priority basis. These 46 proposals include five plots for internal ring roads, which are to be completed before the Kumbh Mela. "Our major objective is to speed up the acquisitions of land at these 46 locations for various civic projects of the NMC. The proposals have been shortlisted considering the infrastructural development of the city, the upcoming Kumbh mela and pollution control. The list mainly includes the proposals of land acquisition for inner and outer ring roads, roads coming towards the river Godavari, sewage treatment plant (STP) and parking spaces," a senior NMC official told TOI on Tuesday.

Land will be acquired on five locations on the 20.3-km long ring road, starting and ending at Lekhanagar. These five places locations are Makhmalabad canal, Gunjalbaba Nagar (the locations between Tarwalanagar and Hirawadi backside), Talkli bridge, Untawadi Mhasoba bridge and NAMCO Cancer Hospital. The road starts from Lekhanagar, via Rajsarthi-Vadalagao-Vijay Mamta junction-Takligaon-Sangam bridge-Aurangabad-Amrutdham-Gunjal farm-MERI-Makhmalabad Road-Kranti Nagar-Indraprastha Bridge-Old Gangapur Naka-ABB Circle-City Centre mall and Manohar Nagar, and will finally end at Lekhanagar.

The NMC is also planning new connectivity from Trimbak Road to the Mumbai-Agra Highway, via ABB Circle, City Centre mall, Manohar Nagar and Govind Nagar. Connecting roads will require acquisition of land at four locations. Land will be acquired at two locations from City Central mall to the new Untawadi bridge and Untawadi bridge to Manohar Nagar.

Highlights

# 16 proposals of land acquisition for widening of the Shahi Marg and roads leading to river Godavari

# 20 proposals of land acquisition for various ring roads

# Five blockages are to be cleared by acquiring small plots for the first 20.3-km inner ring road, starting and ending at Lekhanagar. These five places locations are Makhmalabad canal, Gunjalbaba Nagar (the locations between Tarwalanagar and Hirawadi backside), Talkli bridge, Untawadi Mhasoba bridge and NAMCO Cancer Hospital

# The city will have new roads connecting Trimbak Road to the Mumbai-Agra Highway, via ABB Circle, City Centra mall, Manohar Nagar and Govind Nagar. Land is to be acquired at two locations from City Centre mall to the new Untawadi bridge and from Untawadi bridge to Manohar Nagar.

# 5 proposals for other major roads

# 2 proposals for acquisition of land for the proposed sewage treatment plant at Gangapur village and Pimpalgaon Khamb

# 3 proposals for parking spaces












Nashik Municipal Corporation to speed up land acquisition worth Rs 500 crore - The Times of India

Town planning dept to collect LBT from builders

NASHIK: The local body tax (LBT) department of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has asked the town planning department to start collecting tax from builders and developers in the city.

As per the rules of the LBT, Rs 100 per square metre is charged for buildings up to four floors, Rs 150 per square metre for buildings up to seven floors and Rs 200 per square metre for buildings having more than seven floors.

The LBT is to be charged on the total constructed areas of the building projects that will also include balcony, stilt floor, basement, parking and compound. A circular mentioning all these guidelines had been sent to the town planning department by the LBT department last week.

"The builders will have to pay 50% of the total LBT while getting their building plans approved and the rest of the 50% will have to be paid while getting the building completion certificates," said deputy municipal commissioner (LBT) Haribhau Phadol, while speaking to TOI.

Officials of the town planning department have confirmed the receipt of the circular and said that the builders and developers will be informed immediately and the tax will be collected as per the rules mentioned in the circular.

The LBT came into effect from May 22 replacing the octroi collection. Since then, till August 31, the NMC has collected a total of Rs 112.59 crore through LBT. In August alone, the NMC collected LBT amounting to Rs 50.61 crore.

The civic body has also taken action against 72 traders and businessmen for tax evasion and has collected a fine of Rs 6.21 lakh for not registering for the LBT and submitting fake bills.








Town planning dept to collect LBT from builders - The Times of India

Architecture students design developmental models for Nashik

NASHIK: The students of the Institute of Design Environment and Architecture (IDEA) created developmental models for the city - designing identity for Nashik - in their vertical studio during the annual workshop conducted at Vairaj Kaladalan from August 30-September 2 by Vidyavardhan's IDEA.

"The aim is to contribute to the society around us architecturally. The students identified different problems of the city and worked upon them under the guidance of expert architects from different parts of the country," said Manju Bele, head of the department.

Eminent architects from Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi came to guide the students. Six groups of students were formed under six mentors, who worked in a simulated office-like environment at IDEA for three days.

These groups approached the topic in their own unique ways and made proposals for designing a new identity for Nashik. Each group along with their mentors presented their proposals.

The mentor of the first group was architect Kukke Subramanya. The group proposed developing the Someshwar and Balaji river Front. According to the proposal, a community space at the river front would consist of an amphitheatre, an art gallery to showcase the works of local artists, a wheel, etc.

Another presentation was by the group mentored by architect Abhishek Datta. As the city has emerged as the wine capital of the country considering the grape producing capacity of the region, the group proposed a wine hub as a modernistic icon for Nashik. The icon would have some elements like a hand-pump to draw wine, a grape crush fest and a smashing fest where people can participate and enjoy. The icon consisted of a large wine bottle, glasses stacked over it with a huge observatory at the top for observing stars as Nashik is also a favourite of the star gazers.

Another group proposed maintaining a connect with the fabric of Nashik. The group designed a meditation centre, an auditorium and a large open space which can be employed for various activities like sports or large gatherings and meetings. Architect Shree Naik's group gave an inspired presentation, proposing three different icons which would retain and yet enhance Nashik's identity in a modern way. A highway connecting Nashik railway station to Gangapur dam via Dwarka would give the commuters a peep into the multi-layered identity of Nashik which is traditional and yet modern.

Besides, a "heritage walk" around old Nashik can become an attraction for natives as well as outsiders and adorning the existing flyovers with cultural images and icons would complete the triage of designing a new icon for Nasik city, the group proposed.

Architect Rupali Gupte and her group presented a novel way of preserving and enhancing the age-old identity of Nashik by creating a bank to save the materials found in the old structures of the city. By reusing these materials, we will be able to preserve and cherish the identity of Nashik, the group said.

The final presentation was made by architect Swapnil Gawande's group, wherein they worked towards a larger goal of creating a huge green cover for Nashik. The students and their mentor said that it required united efforts by the policy makers, implementers as well as the citizens of Nashik.

"These suggestions and plans are available for corporators, social workers and citizens who are interested in implementing for the welfare of the city," Bele said.






Architecture students design developmental models for Nashik - The Times of India

Over 200 trees along Nashik-Pune highway face axe for road widening

NASHIK: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sought permission to cut 205 old trees along a six-km stretch on the Nashik-Pune highway for the proposed widening of the road, of which 39 have been identified for transplantation. Activists said that efforts should be made to save maximum number of trees by constructing road by the sides of the trees and keeping them like dividers.

The proposal seeking permission to cut the 205 large trees, including peepal and banyan, between Dwarka to Bytco on the Nashik-Pune highway was sent to the gardens department of the Nashik Municipal Corporatin (NMC) by the NHAI on Friday. The trees to be transplanted belong to the Kashid, Bitty, and Karanji variety.

The NHAI plans to make the highway from a two-lane road to a six lane route. "We have received the proposal on Friday and will be taking a decision about it in a meeting of the tree authority committee," said NMC environment officer S R Vanjari.

This stretch of road has many old banyan and peepal trees but these have not been included for transplantation. Vanjari said that it may be because the trees are very old and the survival rate is minimal for such old and bulky trees. An officer of the gardens department said that the banyan and peepal trees cannot be transplanted successfully because the diameter of these trees may be very big and they are very old.

The proposal of transplantation will be discussed in a meeting of the tree authority committee on September 10 when the suggestions and objections will be heard before the approval is given. Officials have said that there are chances that there will be no opposition about the transplantation proposal.

Officials said that the remaining trees will have to face the axe but the exact figure of trees to be planted in lieu of the ones to be cut has to be finalized by the NHAI.

Emphasizing upon saving as many trees as possible, tree activists said that wherever possible the trees should be retained and road constructed by the side. "We are not against development. Considering the traffic and usage of this highway, expansion is necessary. But efforts to save maximum trees should be made and the road can be constructed by the sides of the trees keeping them like dividers. Only those trees that are posing as real obstacles should be cut. Also, removing encroachments will ensure proper construction of the six-lane. Ficus variety should be transplanted," said Rajesh Pandit, one of the activists.

"However, we will not allow the cutting of Kailaspati tree in front of Archies Gallery near Datta Mandir at any cost because it is a very rare tree and Nashik has just a couple of these," said Pandit.









Over 200 trees along Nashik-Pune highway face axe for road widening - The Times of India

'Nod to 58 land matters illegal'

NASHIK: Collector Vilas Patil has stopped land transactions in 58 cases in which he found that the permissions given by then sub-divisional officer (SDO) Vinay Gosavi were "illegal" and "unauthorised in nature". Gosavi was abruptly transferred to Dhule district as the deputy collector in June, even as he had completed only one-and-a-half years in office.

"We have stopped all kinds of transactions in cases of 58 non-agricultural (NA) permissions or even change in record of rights (RoR) of 7/12 extracts, given by the officer - Vinay Gosavi, in his capacity as SDO. The transactions were illegal and unauthorized in nature, the report of which has been sent to the state government as well," Patil said on Monday.

The collector said the officer - who was transferred after large numbers of complaints against him - was found issuing giving NA permissions without seeking opinions from the town planning department, or even the town planning advising not to give the NA permissions despite the powers to do so and the SDO being revoked by the collector. Patil said, "After receiving the complaints and reports about the style of execution of the officer in matters related to land located at prime locations in villages like Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri and even in Nashik city, I revoked the rights to give NA permissions from the officer. Despite that there were some permissions given by the officer, which were completely unauthorised in nature."

He added that the SDO replaced the name of a private party in place of the state on the land owned by the government without any authority or any (government) resolution. "The government land was also not spared. The name of the government department was replaced by the private party's name," the collector said.

A report on the immediate findings has been prepared and sent to the government and a separate report is being sent by the revenue commissioner. An inquiry has been ordered to find out the modus operandi of the officer and the number of cases in addition to the existing ones.

As an immediate measure, all future transactions in 58 permissions have been stopped and revision of all the permissions has been undertaken, the collector said.

Several attempts to reach Gosavi on his phone failed as the officer did not reply to any call.










'Nod to 58 land matters illegal' - The Times of India

Nashik Municipal Corporation seeks more land to manage garbage

NASHIK: Overloading of landfill has prompted the civic body's mechanical department to seek more land. The Nashik Municipal Corporation's (NMC) environmental status report (ESR) also suggests additional site for landfill.

Officials of the NMC cite excessive use of plastic as one of the major reasons, apart from the increasing population for the overload on the 15-acre landfill located at the 100-acre compost plant project. The mechanical department has sought another 10-15 hectares to meet the growing needs of the garbage disposal.

According to the ESR, the site for additional or alternative sanitary landfill should be selected through a comprehensive environmental survey and the authorisation of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for the facility should be obtained before it is developed.

"We have already given a proposal to the estate department to acquire 10-15 hectares of land beside the existing landfill. We had submitted the proposal two years back and are constantly following it up," said B K Pawar, the superintending engineer of the water supply and mechanical department.

An official of the mechanical department said with the increasing population the amount of garbage is also increasing but even more paramount is the rampant use of plastic that has overburdened the existing landfill. "A couple of years ago, 350 tonnes of garbage was collected every day. It now gone up to 370 tonnes. We get 6-7 percent plastic by weight. Due to this excessive use, the landfill is becoming full and we need more space to manage the increasing waste. Untreated plastic goes to the landfill site. Out of the 120 ton plastic sold only 12 ton can be sorted. People have the habit of dumping waste tied in plastic bags and it is not possible to sort all of these," he added.

Speaking about the issue, environment officer of the NMC's environmental cell S R Vanjari said the basic problem was segregation of waste. "In spite of awareness and sensitising programmes, people do not segregate waste. At the site, segregation is done but full-fledged segregation does not happen," he added.

Estate manager B U More said that he would go through the proposal.









Nashik Municipal Corporation seeks more land to manage garbage - The Times of India

Draft development plan scrapped, civic body now mulling options

NASHIK: After scrapping the draft development plan (DP) of the city at the general body meeting (GBM) late on Monday night, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) is planning to prepare a fresh draft. Accordingly, the civic body is studying two options - either preparing a DP through private consultants on the lines of Pune Municipal Corporation or through a new official appointed by the state government.

In a late night development, mayor Yatin Wagh scrapped the new DP after members of all the parties unanimously sought its cancellation alleging that the plan had been chalked out in the favour of builders for converting their maximum land into yellow belt (residential). They said the DP unfair to the farmers as maximum reservations for various civic projects were made on their lands. The members alleged that there will be no environmental balance as the agriculture zone has been reduced from existing 33% to 15% in the new DP, which will affect the identity of Nashik as a "grape city".

Speaking to TOI, Wagh said, "The DP cell had had sought permission to publish the new DP of the city. However, there were irregularities in the plan chalked out by the DP cell set up by the state government. Before making the reservations, it was necessary for the concerned officials to visit the spots. The reservations were put on buildings, which had been granted building completion certificate by the municipal corporation and on approved layouts of plots. Around 85% of green zone has been converted into yellow belt. Hence, there was no option but to cancel the DP."

"We have decided to make a fresh DP. Hence, we are studying the option to either prepare it through private consultants or through a new efficient government official of the state government. The decision in this connection will be taken shortly," he said.

Municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare said, "We will send the resolution of the GBM to the state government once we receive it. Further course of action will be decided thereafter. There is also an option of town planning schemes, but the proposal of the state government in this regard is pending with the central government. Thereafter, some necessary amendments in the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act will have to be made too."

After the expiry of the 20-year DP of the city, the state government had appointed assistant director of the town planning department, Sulekha Vaijapurkar, to prepare a new one for the next 25 years up to 2036. After preparation of the new DP, Vaijapurkar had submitted it to municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare.

The mayor had called the first special GBM on August 29 to discuss the issue. However, the meeting was adjourned amid ruckus by members, who alleged leakage of the DP before making it public. Thereafter, the next GBM held on September 16 had also been adjourned on the ground of giving a week to enable the corporators to look at the copies of the DP and discuss it. Accordingly, the copies of the draft DP were made available to the corporators at the office of the town secretary of the municipal corporation.

Development plans then and now

* The previous DP (1991-2010) had been approved in 1993, when about two dozen villages on the outskirts of the city were included in the municipal limits and around 984 hectares reserved for public purposes. However, only about 30% of the plan has been implemented and the civic body is yet to acquire the land - about 500 plots - under reservation and is facing litigation in 26 cases.

* The draft DP (2011-2036), however, did not envisage the inclusion of more villages in the municipal limits. Officials had pointed out that by 2036, the population of Nashik city would increase from existing 15 lakh to about 34 lakh and that the existing limits of 259 sq km have adequate developmental space.

The objections

Corporators alleged that the new plan had been chalked out in the favour of builders for converting their maximum land into yellow belt (residential).

They said the DP unfair to the farmers as maximum reservations for various civic projects were made on their lands.

The members alleged that there will be no environmental balance as the agriculture zone has been reduced from existing 33% to 15% in the new DP, which will affect the identity of Nashik as a "grape city".

Farmers' concerns

* The farmers said that the reservations in the last DP were shifted to farmlands. They said that in the final DP of 1993, 534 reservations (on 3,000 acres land) were on farmland of which the NMC is yet to acquire 192 reservations.

* They said that in the new draft DP, there is no reservation on builders' lands.

* They said that in the new plan, around 876 reservations (on 4,500 acres land) were on farmlands.

* According to the farmers, they should have been taken into confidence when the DP was being prepared. They alleged that even when the DP was presented in the house, the opposition by farmers was not taken into account.










Draft development plan scrapped, civic body now mulling options - The Times of India

Only 169 of 542 reservations of 1993 development plan acquired

NASHIK: Out of the 542 land reservations for public purposes in the last development plan (DP) of 1993, only 169 have been acquired and developed so far.

The DP had been approved by the state government on November 16, 1993 for a period of 20 years, which included around 25 villages. It also included ring roads and DP roads, reservations for gardens, playgrounds, schools and other civic amenities. But the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been able to acquire and develop only over 30% of the land reserved in the last DP.

"Only 169 reservations have been acquired from the last development plan," said BJP corporator Devyani Pharande.

The outer ring road from Pathardi village to Deolaligaon via Vadner, in the old DP, is yet to be developed. It comes in the green belt and has to be acquired, keeping in mind, the forthcoming Kumbh Mela, the officials said. Only two internal ring roads have been developed and only 18 to 19% of the total DP road has been completed so far, said the officials.

The NMC has reiterated that it does not have the money to acquire the lands reserved for development purposes and only those lands, which are very necessary to be acquired, will be taken.

"The land reservations of the last DP were acquired on priority basis. As and when the land was required and the money available, the lands have been acquired," said mayor Yatin Wagh.

As per the Maharashtra Region Town Planning (MRTP) Act, if a land reserved is not acquired in ten years, the owner of the land can file a case in the court to de-reserve it.

Land acquisition cases of the previous DP are still pending in the courts. The NMC officials said the reservations of utmost necessity will be acquired as per the emergency clause of the Land Acquisition Act.

Chairman of the NMC's standing committee Ramesh Dhongade said there were at least 26 cases of land acquisition pending in the court.










Only 169 of 542 reservations of 1993 development plan acquired - The Times of India

Mayor to seek change in development plan norms during visit to CM

NASHIK: City mayor Yatin Wagh on Wednesday said he would seek chief minister (CM) Prithviraj Chavan to make necessary amendments in the development plan (DP) manual of the state government when Wagh meets him on Thursday in Mumbai.

The DP of the municipal corporations in Maharashtra is chalked out as per the guidelines in the DP manual 1962 of the state government. The officials concerned follow the guidelines of the DP manual while chalking out the DP of the particular manual. But amendments have not yet been made in the DP manual so far.

Wagh said, "We are meeting CM Prithviraj Chavan to hand him over the resolution of the general body meeting (GBM) of the NMC concerning the cancellation of the draft DP of the city and to extend the time limit to make a fresh DP by the government official under the guidance of the municipal commissioner. We will also urge the CM to update and make necessary amendments in its DP manual and other concerned laws as per the current scenario, since the laws have not been updated for the past many yearsThere is a need to check whether the laws are applicable in today's scenario."

He further said," There is a need to check norms considering the population density while projecting the population growth when chalking out the DP of the city."

He, however, avoided divulging more details concerning the issue.

"There is a DP manual of the state government. The officials concerned prepare the draft of the DP of the municipal corporations in the state as per the guidelines of the DP manual, According to which, the population density can't be projected more than 250 persons per hectare while making the development plans of the city. The residential areas need to be increased as per the standard measurement of density of population. There is still no amendment in the DP manual concerning that," a senior government official from the town planning department, on the condition of anonymity, told TOI.

After an expiry of the DP in 2010, the state government had set up a special DP unit to chalk out the new DP of the city for the next 25 years, projecting population growth of 34 lakh by 2036 from 14 lakh as per the 2011 census. As per the population density of the 250 persons per hectare, the residential areas were increased from existing 5,875.36 hectares to 13,851 hectares in the new DP to accommodate the projected population. It means, 7,975.64 hectares were added in the residential areas to accommodate the additional projected population of 20 lakh people. For that, agriculture areas were converted into yellow zone (residential), thereby reducing the green belt from existing 9,036.49 hectares to just 4,039.83 hectares.

Speaking to TOI, a builder said, "One floor space index (FSI) is applicable in the city. The construction areas of one lakh sq ft can be made in one hectare land with around 175 flats of 500 sq ft to 700 sq ft areas. Around 150 families with a population of 750 to 800 can be accommodated in these areas. Twenty to 30 years back, the growth of the city was horizontal as maximum residential structures were in the form of tenements, separate houses or bungalows. But today, the maximum height permissible is up to 40 m, which accommodates around 12-storey buildings with stilt. The proposal of the civic administration to increase the height of the buildings to 45 m is pending with the state government for approval. It means, the density of population of the city has definitely increased and will go more than 500 persons per hectare as the city develops in future."

President of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association Nashik, Kiran Chavan said, "All the laws concerning the DP have become outdated; there is a need to update them after studying other developed cities of the world like London and Singapore.

The density of population should not be considered while chalking out the DP. Instead of 25 years, the DP of a city should be made keeping in mind the next 100 years. Accordingly, the plans of roads, residential zones and other amenities should be made. An internal level consultant should be appointed while chalking out such plans.

Moreover, we must insist for the town planning (TP) scheme instead. The municipal corporation concerned will get 40% of the land free of cost if the TP scheme is implemented."









Mayor to seek change in development plan norms during visit to CM - The Times of India

MIDC plans to acquire land for Sinnar-Eklahare railway line project by Jan

NASHIK: The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) on Saturday said the land acquisition for the Sinnar-Eklahare railway line project is expected to be completed by January-end next year.

The MIDC has proposed to lay a 32-km railway line between Eklahare to the special economic zone (SEZ) in Sinnar for transporting coal for the thermal power plant. Accordingly, the measurement of 173 hectares of land across all 10 villages was completed in August 2013.

Speaking to TOI, a senior MIDC official said, "We have already completed measurement of the land for the project and the proposal seeking permission for the commencement of further procedure (32/1 notices) has been sent to the state government. The procedure of awarding total payment for acquisition of land in the name of the district collector will begin once the state government gives approval to the proposal. The process of distribution of payments to the concerned farmers against land acquisition will begin thereafter."

"We are expecting that the state government will give the approval by November-end and further procedure will begin thereafter. The farmers had opposed the procedure to measure the land, but we have settled all their issues and convinced them to give their land for the pivotal project, which will fuel the growth of Sinnar as well as Nashik district, thereby generating employment opportunities," he said.

The district authority along with MIDC had held meeting with the project-affected farmers from all 10 villages in November 2012 and offered Rs 35 lakh per acre for arable land and Rs 17.5 lakh per acre for non-arable land. The price was higher than the earlier offer of Rs 30 lakh for arable land and Rs 15 lakh for non-arable land.

Indiabulls Realtech Ltd (IRL), a subsidiary of Indiabulls Power Ltd, and MIDC are jointly setting up a thermal power station at Sinnar with a capacity of 1,350 MW.

For the purpose, a 32-km railway line is to be laid between Eklahare and Sinnar by acquiring from 10 villages, including Eklahare, Hinganwedhe and Jakhori in Nashik tehsil; Jogaltembi, Naygaon, Deshvandi, Patpimpri, Baragaon Pimpri and Gulvanch in Sinnar tehsil and Pimpalgaon-Nipani in Niphad tehsil.






MIDC plans to acquire land for Sinnar-Eklahare railway line project by Jan - The Times of India

Surat-Nashik road connectivity on the cards

NASHIK: Road connectivity between Surat and Nashik is set to improve, with the Gujarat government taking up paving work of the Surat-Nashik Road, Gujarat principal secretary S S Rathore said in Nashik on Saturday.

Rathore, principal secretary, department of roads & buildings of the Gujarat government, was attending a engineers' award presentation at the Nashik centre of The Institution of Engineers (India) on Saturday. "We are focusing on improving connectivity between Gujarat and Maharashtra, from Surat to Saputra, which is the border of Gujrat adjacent to Nashik district. We have already handed over a road to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for widening. Around 98 per cent work has already been completed, while the rest of the stretch before Saputara is to be developed shortly," Rathore said at the programme.

Rathore said, "We are planning to develop 18,000 km of roads across the state of Gujarat over the next few years. We have improved connectivity between districts. We have also improved road connectivity in 98 per cent of villages. We have decided to resurface roads that are over seven years old."

S Subrahmanyan, managing director of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) said, "There are several technological challenges and engineers must focus on finding solutions over these. They must be innovative to bring quality and competitiveness."

Sanjay Khandare, Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) commissioner also attended the event.

Various engineering awards instituted by the Nashik local centre of The Institution of Engineers (India) were presented at the event to Anil Lodha, Nayana S Rao, Rajesh Atmaram Patil, Chandrashekhar N Kulkarni, Rajan Bhagawat, professor Prakash Kadave, Naresh Sahare, Vikas Agrawal, Ghanashyam Patil, Atul Jadhav, Sopan Talekar, Shrikant Agarkar, Smita Paithankar, Manisha Suryavanshi and Priyanka Shirude.





Surat-Nashik road connectivity on the cards - The Times of India

1,744 of total 5,092 housing societies get deemed conveyance

NASHIK: Around 1,744 of the total 5,092 housing societies in Nashik have got conveyance deeds from the office of the Deputy District Registrar (DDR) so far.

The office of the DDR has also urged the rest of the housing societies to approach the office and file applications for deemed conveyance. The letters in this connection have been sent to the housing societies which have still not got the conveyance deed.

There are around 5,092 housing societies registered with the office of DDR, of which, around 4,500 societies alone are in Nashik city. The conveyance deeds of around 65% of housing societies are yet to be executed.

The state government recently made amendments in the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats & Apartments Act (MOFA) 1963, for its effective implementation. Accordingly, the DDR has been appointed as the competent authority for the implementation of MOFA. Builders will now have to register the societies within four months once 60% of the total flats in the building project are sold. It is also mandatory for the builder concerned to execute the conveyance deed immediately after the registration of the society. In short, the ownership of property should be in the name of the societies or apartments concerned in the 7/12 land extract.

Speaking to TOI, DDR Sunil Bansode said, "As per the directive of the state government, we had conducted a special drive of deemed conveyance for the housing societies which had not got the deed in May and June. Around 1,744 of the 5,092 housing societies have been given deemed conveyance so far. Moreover, we have also sent letters to all societies across the district to approach the DDR office to get deemed conveyance. Our major focus is to implement the act and make 100% execution of conveyance deed in the housing societies."

"We have also started updating information of housing societies online. We had recently appointed a team of 30 employees to update information of housing societies pertaining to the name of the chairpersons of the societies, their audits and other such details. Information of around 90% of the housing societies has been updated so far," he added.








1,744 of total 5,092 housing societies get deemed conveyance - The Times of India

Encroachments removed along Mum-Agra highway

NASHIK: Food and tea stalls, and other illegal structures along the Mumbai-Agra highway were on Thursday removed by the civic body's anti-encroachment department in co-ordination with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the city police.

Hoardings put up by political parties were removed too.

Sources in PNG Tollways, the company asked to help with developing the road and collecting toll, said the drive anti-encroachment drive was conducted in two sessions on the stretch of the highway between Pathardi Phata and Dwarka.

Commissioner of Police Kulwant Kumar Sarngal said officials of the NHAI had approached him for protection during the encroachment drive. Police personnel were deployed for the purpose, he said.

Sources in PNG Tollways said the drive would be conducted more often as the encroachers tended to return to the place they were removed from.

A number of Chinese food and tea stalls are set up on the stretch between Pathardi Phata and Dwarka. Also, flower vendors at Mumbai Naka, most of who are children, obstruct the traffic that poses a danger for them too.

The vehicles parked at the garages on the highway's service road also obstruct passage. Sources in PNG Tollways said an anti-encroachment drive concentrating on the garages would be conducted soon.

On being asked about a parking facility for autorickshaws and taxis at Dwarka, officials from the PNG Tollways said they would reduce the size of the traffic islands at the junction to create a 1.5 metre-wide lane on the service road to accommodate these vehicles. The police and association of rickshaw and taxi drivers had suggested such an arrangement.

Encroachments on the median of the highway and on the service road that passes through the city have become a major issue as vehicles are seen moving at a slow pace in spite of the road's widening.







Encroachments removed along Mum-Agra highway - The Times of India

Five beneficiaries given houses at Nilgiri Baug

NASHIK: Five beneficiaries of the Nilgiri Baug housing scheme for the urban poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) were handed over the keys of their housing units on Wednesday. These beneficiaries were among the 80 people who were allotted the houses through a draw of lots in February.

The allotment was done for one of the 10 buildings of Nilgiri Baug in prabhag II on Aurangabad Road, Panchavati.

"The beneficiaries were selected category-wise. Those who have paid the entire amount (mandatory for them) have been selected for taking possession of their houses as the representatives of all the 80 beneficiaries. Three people from the backward classes and two from the open category have been handed over the keys of their houses. For the backward classes beneficiaries, the mandatory amount to be paid is Rs 14,500, while for the open category it is Rs 17,500," slum rehabilitation officer of the NMC Yashwant Ogle said.

State revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Manikrao Thakre, MLC Ashok (Bhai) Jagtap, MLA (Nashik East) Rajaram Pangavhane, mayor Yatin Wagh, municipal commissioner Sanjay Khandare and corporators Sunita Nimse (NCP) and Uddhav Nimse (Congress), in whose wards the scheme is located, were present for the function conducted in the afternoon.

The corporators spoke about the scheme while mayor Wagh assured that the tempo of the developmental works will continue. "Now the government should sanction funds for the Kumbh Mela at the earliest so that more developmental works can be completed. Though the MNS is in power here, we have never discriminated between parties and have come here for this project in Nimse's (NCP & Congress) prabhag," he said.

Thakre said, "If the NMC keeps following up with the government, more houses can be provided to the poor."

Thorat said that the state-level officials in-charge of the Kumbh Mela are now having final-level discussions and soon, the funds will be made available.







Five beneficiaries given houses at Nilgiri Baug - The Times of India