Nagpur: The Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) is again in the news for another dubious reason. A substantial open spaces scam has come to light within the NIT, with allegations of unauthorized plot regularization shaking South Nagpur residents. The Chichmalatpure Nagar Nagrik Kruti Samiti, representing residents of a layout in Mouza Manewada, has approached the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, which has now intervened.
In a significant ruling dated December 20, 2024, Justices Avinash Gharote and Abhay Mantri ordered builder Vijay Rambhau Chichmalatpure and his sons, Ankit and Gaurav, to refrain from creating third-party interests on Plot No. 71-B until further notice. The petition (Writ No. 237/2023) was filed by Advocate R.R. Vyas on behalf of the residents.
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Wed 25 Dec. 2024
NIT’s controversial regularization
The dispute traces back to NIT’s decision to regularize 210 plots in Raghavendra Gruh Nirman Sahakari Sanstha layout (Khasra Nos. 62/1, 68/1, 67/2, and 69/1) on July 18, 2001. The approved plan included four open spaces spanning nearly 40,000 square feet. Allegedly, the Chichmalatpure family fabricated five unauthorized plots — 38-A, 41-B, 42-B, 58-A, and 71-B — on these open spaces and sought their regularization under Gunthewari 2.0.
While NIT initially rejected their applications twice, citing High Court orders prohibiting non-sport or recreational use of open spaces, the body reversed its stance in May 2024, regularizing these plots. This decision directly violated prior High Court rulings in PIL Nos. 40/2013 and 88/2018.
Residents raise alarm
The irregularities came to light when Advocate Ashwin Patil’s December 15, 2024, advertisement indicated a potential sale of Plot No. 71-B by Gaurav Chichmalatpure. Concerned residents, led by Ashish Nagpure, President of the Green Planet Colony Foundation, rallied to demand justice. Complaints were lodged with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, South Nagpur MLA Mohan Mate, and Vikas Thakre, President of the Nagpur City Congress Committee and Nagpur West MLA. The residents also pressed Urban Development Department Principal Secretary Asim Gupta to revoke the regularization and develop a playground and garden on the disputed open spaces.
Gunthewari 2.0:
Gunthewari 2.0 was designed to regularize unauthorized plots existing before December 31, 2020. Despite receiving over 1 lakh applications and collecting ₹3,000 per application, NIT has only processed less than 5,000 cases, primarily from economically disadvantaged applicants. Conversely, open spaces have reportedly been prioritized for builder regularization, exposing misuse of the scheme.
NIT’s corruption under scrutiny
Critics have long accused NIT of corruption, alleging that it routinely hands over open spaces and Public Utility (PU) lands to builders and politicians. Despite having physical possession of these spaces and marking them with boards, NIT’s actions suggest a disregard for its responsibilities to preserve public land. Residents contend that the open spaces belong to the layout’s plot owners and that the irregularities have stripped them of their rightful amenities.
Legal battle ahead
The Chichmalatpure Nagar Nagrik Kruti Samiti, led by Secretary Arvind Chittan Verma, has vowed to fight for justice. With the High Court’s intervention and mounting public outrage, the coming weeks could prove decisive in the battle to reclaim Nagpur’s open spaces.
