Mumbai: Even as the BMC is evaluating the bids received for the auction of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market plot near Crawford Market and the Worli asphalt plant plot, the Railways and the RBI have expressed their interest in the two plots. While the Railways have shown interest in the Shivaji Maharaj Market plot in writing to the BMC, the RBI has shown interest in the Worli plot. However, the civic body is expected to evaluate the final bids for these plots and then make a decision.
The civic body initially last year decided to auction three plots, including the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market plot, a plot housing the BEST receiving station at Malabar Hill, and a plot housing an asphalt plant at Worli, in the island city for a 30-year lease period with a provision of renewal for another 30 years as part of an effort to increase revenue streams, as the civic body was investing huge sums in infrastructure projects.

However, the move to auction the plot housing the BEST receiving station faced opposition from residents, who cited that the property card of the plot shows it is reserved for a garden. Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha intervened on behalf of the residents and asked the BMC to stop the auction of the plot. Subsequently, the BMC decided not to proceed with the auction of the Malabar Hill plot. Meanwhile, as the BMC did not receive a favourable response to their auction tender, the civic body retendered the plot and also reduced the reserve price of the plots.
“The Railways have shown interest in a portion of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Market plot. They are not interested in the entire plot as of now. However, it does not make sense for us to hand over only a small portion of the plot to the Railways, and we would want them to take over the whole plot. The RBI has expressed interest orally to us regarding the Worli plot. We have received a total of five bids for the two plots together. We will examine the bids and the final price that we are likely to get. We can then tell these agencies the price, and if the agencies are interested, they can buy them, which will ensure that we don’t face any loss of revenue,” said a civic official.