NMC Notice To Mayor, Dy Mayor & Corporators Over Building Plans

Nagpur: Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has issued notices to mayor Neeta Thakre, deputy mayor Leela Hathibed, office-bearers and all corporators, directing them to submit sanctioned building plans of their properties as part of a citywide verification drive into unauthorised constructions related to their election affidavits. The notices, served by assistant commissioners across all 10 zones, seek approved layouts of properties owned by corporators, their spouses and dependents to ascertain links, if any, to illegal constructions. The move stems from the State Election Commission's directive mandating stricter scrutiny of unauthorised structures involving elected representatives. Confirming the development, NMC deputy commissioner Nirbhay Jain told TOI that the exercise was initiated following a communication from the divisional commissioner's office. "Instructions were issued to all assistant commissioners to take necessary action in accordance with the directives," he said. The poll panel, in its Dec 12, 2025, order, made it mandatory for candidates to declare in their nomination affidavits that involvement in unauthorised construction could lead to disqualification. All candidates complied during the January civic polls by submitting affidavits along with nomination papers. The verification drive gathered pace after advocate Suhas Bidkar, in January, sought legal scrutiny by demanding notices to all elected representatives. Acting on this, municipal commissioner Vipin Itankar last month directed the general administration department to initiate action, following which zonal offices began issuing notices. According to the notices, submission of sanctioned building plans will enable authorities to examine the declarations made in affidavits and proceed with action, if required, under relevant rules. Several corporators and office-bearers, however, are yet to respond. Zone-wise implementation has already begun. The Nehru Nagar zone issued notices to mayor Neeta Thakre and leader of opposition Sanjay Mahakalkar. The Hanuman Nagar zone served a notice to deputy mayor Leela Hathibed, while the Lakadganj zone issued one to ruling party leader Narendra Borkar. Similar notices have been served to committee chairpersons and corporators across political parties. It also reads that if there is any violation of sanctioned plans, then they should either regularise or raze them within five years as mentioned in their nomination forms. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Bidkar said the drive covered the entire city, though copies of notices from a few zones, including Laxmi Nagar, Ashi Nagar and Mangalwari, were yet to be accessed by him. Welcoming the move, Bidkar cautioned against reducing it to a formality. "The civic body must thoroughly verify all constructions linked to corporators. This should ensure transparency in affidavit disclosures. There is no personal vendetta; the aim is accountability," he said. The development has brought compliance by elected representatives under scrutiny, raising questions over the accuracy of election affidavits and the civic body's intent to act against violations.