Estate dept data is now a click away

[karira]

Estate dept data is now a click away

Weary of repeated rounds to the local ward office and unsuccessful attempts under the Right To Information Act for knowing the status of a municipal open plot run by a charitable trust? The information will soon be readily available on the click of the mouse.


BMC’s estate and land management department has initiated the process of updating the status of all 5,500 municipal properties, most of them located in plush South Mumbai areas and of prime value, on the Internet.

This will include 4,176 plots allotted on lease and other vacant properties, acquired and conveyed plots etc. The area of the plot, the name of the owner/lessee, terms of agreement with the BMC, nature of use of the plot, breaches if any committed by the party, ready reckoner rates will also be listed.


Presently, several, affected by the misuse of many such plots, especially those leased to charitable trusts and NGOs, flock to the ward offices or the estate department for information. Many return empty-handed.


Joint Municipal Commissioner V Radha said, “We have started uploading the list of properties in A ward. Citizens would be able to access information once the corporations’ e-portal is launched on August 20.


The system will promote transparency. Not only is a citizen entitled to the Right to Information, it is our Duty to Inform people about the management of these plots.”


Radha said the portal will have an icon ‘Duty to Inform’ which will contain all this information. RTI activist Kewal Semlani said, “While it was good that a civic office has decided to disclose information, it should be rigorously implemented.”

DNA - Mumbai - Estate dept data is now a click away - Daily News & Analysis