“The lack of coordination between two central government authorities has resulted in the postal department running from pillar to post for the past 42 years,” revealed an RTI reply by the postal department filed by activist Anil Galgali. In a classic case, the postal department which paid and purchased a plot from the naval authorities has not been able to construct and develop its property as the naval department has not been able to demarcate the boundaries of the purchased plot.
“I had sought to know the status of land purchased by Post department. Public Information Officer and Assistant Director of Post ( legal and Building) department informed me that the plot purchased from Ministry of Defence on February 26, 1973 and the area of plot is 13,200 Sq Ft. The possession of the plot is taken by Department of Posts on December 5, 1975,” expressed Galgali.
The reply further stated that due to lot of constructional developments in vacant lands in said Colony the exact location of postal plot had become difficult to locate. Hence, the Naval Authority delayed demarcation of said postal plot resulting in non construction of post office building of said plot.
“The Navy Officer, Ministry of Defence earmarked a plot admeasuring area of 13,200 Sq Ft at Powai Naval Colony for post office building on February 7, 1966 at the cost of Rs 26,400 DOP purchased said plot from Defence Department on 26 February 1973 and possession of plot was taken on 5 December 1975,” added Galgali.
After long persuasion, the Administrative office, NCH Colony agreed to show exact location of Postal plot and thus the team of Postal Department led by Assistant Director (Legal and Bldg) Mumbai Region and Commander- Mha Mujawar, Administrative office made on spot inspection of the said Post office plot on 19 April 2017 and found plot suitable for construction of Post office building and issued the order to carry out official demarcation of plot presence of Officer from DOP and Administrative Office on 23 May 2017 but Administrative Office again did not co-operate resulting delay of construction of Post office. Though Competent Authority already approved principal construction of post office building ( 5,000 Sq Ft) but delay on part of Administrative Office has halted the execution construction of Post office building. Now DOP has raised up the matter with Rear Admiral Pradeep Joshi, CEO (PEA) Western Naval Command on August 22, 2017.
“The reply is not received from Naval Authorities. Does the naval authority want another project like Adarsh on that plot is the suspicion in the minds of the people looking at the delaying tactics adopted by them in conducting the demarcation of the plot?” asked Galgali.
He has further expressed disappointment on the lethargic attitude of the naval authorities who have not been able to do a simple demarcation of the plot for which they have already received the consideration. In a letter addressed to Union Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Galgali has requested an enquiry into the lethargic working of the concerned naval authorities and immediate resolution of the issue by ordering demarcation and handover of the plot to the postal department.
