Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday directed Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) to construct a compound wall around Reshimbagh playground spread over 22 acres to prevent encroachments, disturbance to sportsperson, or damage to surface layer, and also plan its redevelopment.
The review meeting chaired by Gadkari was also told that the dispute between NIT and NMC over land for rehabilitation of project-affected-persons (PAPs) of Smart City Project has also been resolved, and a proposal regarding property transfer is pending with the state government.
Gadkari held the review meeting for various projects of NIT. As per Gadkari’s directives, NIT chairman Manoj Kumar Suryawanshi assured to commence construction of a compound wall around Reshimbagh ground as soon as possible. NIT had not compounded the open space since it was acquired. Sportspersons had been complaining about obstruction from vehicles, cattle, stray dogs etc due to lack of compound wall.
When Gadkari asked about the disputed land between NIT and NMC, Suryawanshi reportedly said that he had submitted a proposal to the government seeking permission to allot the land for Smart City Project. He also informed that the cost of the land will be adjusted in share of Smart City Project to be paid by NIT to NMC.
Earlier, NIT was not ready to give the land for Smart City Project. NMC’s special purpose vehicle Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited had proposed to rehabilitate PAPs on this land for acquisition of their properties for construction of roads, storm water drain, sewage networks etc. In the last meeting, Gadkari had directed NIT to give the land for the project.
NIT cannot allot its property directly to anyone as per its Land Disposal Rules. If it wants to do so, the government has to relax conditions of NIT’s Land Disposal Rules. Therefore, NIT submitted the proposal to the government.
East Nagpur MLA Krishna Khopde was present in the meeting and requested utilization of the land at the mall and abandoned structure at Wardhaman Nagar. Gadkari directed NIT to take over the mall and abandoned structure. The minister said he would plan a project on the land and also make funds available.
