According to senior officers from the PMC, the company sought a stay on the notice issued last month from the PMC court. “We have already responded to the stay and the hearing is coming up on August 13, following which we will take the necessary action,’’ said an officer.

The PMC had issued notices under section 260 (1) of the BPMC Act and under section 53 (1) of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966. Since no permission was taken, the PMC had decided to remove the fences and boards put up the 48 acre plot in Wanowrie. The group was also planning a commercial-cum-residential project with a mark-up of Rs 5, 000 crore.

The issue had come to the fore when the residents complained that the land — sector 64 currently used for exercise and community interactions — was usurped by the builders. The citizens of the area were up in arms against the company who put up boards and fences and even posted security guards.

On July 8, 2008, the departments of revenue and forest had passed a stay order against the sale of this watan land (survey No 64), which in effect renders null and void the sale of the land in presence of collector and the watandars on June 17 last year. But now it is being claimed by a section of the watandars that only two out of the seven signatories were present on June 17. A Mahar Watan land is granted to people by the government and cannot be sold without the permission of the divisional commissioner/district collector. The prime land has a current valuation of nearly Rs 350 crore.