PUNE, July 25: After having tried out several methods of protest, including a rasta-roko, to vent their ire against the mega-city project planned by the State Government, the plot owners have now resolved to challenge the very legality of the project. The mega-city plan was mooted to fund the proposed Pune-Mumbai Expressway.

``The mega-city project is an infringement on the right to hold property'', Sudhakar Velankar, president of the Plotdharak Sanghatana, said here on Wednesday. The association represents 60 plot owners out of the total 5,000 whose land in Sus, Baner, Mhalunge and Tathawade villages is to be acquired for the project.

The Sanghatana has called a meeting of the plot owners on July 27 to deliberate on their problems, besides deciding on the legal stand to be adopted on the issue. Over 500 plot owners are expected to attend the day-long convention.

The Sanghatana has invited executive president of the State planning commission, Prakash Javdekar; Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) Mayor Anita Pharande; Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Mayor Vandana Chavan; and economist Bhausaheb Jadhav, to address the meeting.

Velankar said the association was convinced that the State had no legal right to acquire their lands. Elaborating, he pointed out that this particular case was different from other cases of land acquisition where the land was acquired for a public utility project.

Whenever the State acquires land for public utility purposes, the ownership of the land is transferred to the State and the land is used for the specified public purpose, he said.``However, in this case, the government has decided to transfer the ownership of the land to private parties,'' Velankar said, adding, ``The govt aims to acquire our land at cheaper rates and transfer it to private parties who will sell the same at higher rates. Thus, the entire deal is based on a profit motive''.

``What legal right does the State have to acquire the property of a citizen and sell the same to private parties and earn profits?'', he demanded. He claimed that the Ministry of Environment had refused permission to the proposed expressway.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.