Bombay High Court hikes payout for govt-acquired land

MUMBAI: Paying a compensation of Rs 4 per square metre for two sprawling plots in the centre of Mumbai was unreal, the Bombay high court told the Maharashtra government, and ordered a much higher payout.

The state had acquired around 9,140 square metres of land in Wadala for redevelopment and declared a compensation of Rs 34,992 (Rs 3.8sq m) for the Nenshi Monji family trust that owned it. The HC has now asked the builder redeveloping the plots to pay Rs 2.17 crore, or Rs 2,374 a sq m, to the family.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Burgess Colabawalla, however, refused to grant any relief to the trust now comprising the grandsons of the original owner that had challenged the government's decision to designate the plots as slum land and acquire it for redevelopment.

“On the face of it, compensation at the rate of less split personality in BJP, famous for engineering split. But in the present situation, the entire BJP is appearing to have a split personality.“

The JD(U) functionary also played down the rift between party spokesperson Ajay Alok and many Manjhi camp leaders who have been gunning at each other. Alok had demanded the resignation of three ministers Narendra Singh, Brishen Patel and Nitish Mishra, all close to the CM, for saying that JD (U) should fight the next election under a joint leadership of Manjhi and Kumar. Manjhi's supporters hit back by demanding Alok's head.