Adarsh scam: Maps, survey sheets too missing

MUMBAI: Once again, important historical maps and crucial documents related to the Adarsh case have gone missing. Sanjay Dikhle, superintendent of city survey and land records, Mumbai city, on Friday told the Adarsh inquiry commission that historical survey maps of 1847—the first time that Mumbai was mapped scientifically—and 1882 were “not available in our office”.

Survey maps of 1872 were available, but the sheets concerning Adarsh land and surrounding areas in Colaba were missing. “Certain survey sheets for the period from 1872 to 1960 are missing from our office and they will have to be traced,” Dikhle said during his cross-examination by senior advocate Dipan Merchant, who is representing the inquiry commission.

This is the fourth instance of important documents going missing in the Adarsh case—first , it was records from the state urban development department, then from the Union environment ministry and more recently , noting sheets from the MoD’s Mumbai headquarters.

The maps in question involve the first survey of the island city which was conducted by British officer Pringle in 1827. The second survey was carried out in 1864-65. A joint survey was also carried out in 1847.
Dikhle had earlier told the court that his office was supposed to keep these records and maps. The “disappearance” of such valuable records—that go back to the very creation of Mumbai from seven islands—raises questions about how such records are maintained.

The importance of these “missing documents” is that it could have answered the controversy over the title of the land—who was in possession of this land, the military or the state government.
The state claims that a portion of the Adarsh land was under water till 1973, when it was reclaimed and subsequently allotted to the society.