Architects and townplanners whose projects have been held up for the last six months because the plans were in the pipeline fear a repeat of 1995, when the then proposed plans received around 5,000 objections. Since then, it has taken CIDCO, the region's development authority, three years to bring about another plan. This too, they feel, is a rush job since the Urban Development department recentlydemanded that the plans be submitted by September 7. The plans were rushed to the state government on August 31. ``It is like a game of snakes and ladders. One never knows what will turn up next,'' says an architect frustrated at the delay and the extent of the changes in the new plans. Around 100 projects have been frozen since six months despite most of them having completed all formalities. ``Now they come up and say the FSI for industrial areas is 0.7 - a reduction from the earlier FSI of 1 -, then a collector's clearance has to be obtained for all cases of development. If Development Control rules in places like Mumbai, Mira-Bhayander, Thane-Mumbra are development-oriented, in Vasai-Virar it is for cutting down on development,'' he adds.

The indecision of the development authorities on envisaging a definite plan for the area has led to no concrete construction work being undertaken in the last decade, added the architect. The plans are skewed to the extent that DP (development plan) roads are markedover encumbered areas, added says another architect. The over 9,000 hectare area, forming the western arms of the Mumbai Metropolitan region, has a population of around six lakh. It is made up of four municipal councils - Vasai, Virar, Nalasopara - while Navghar and Manikpur form the fourth. While a combined budget of these four municipal councils is around Rs 100 crore, the draft plan would need an outlay of around Rs 1,200 crore.

``Just how are they going to obtain these resources,'' asks president of the Virar Municipal Council, Pradeep Tendulkar. With the state government's pauperised state an open secret, he does not expect it to bail the plan out. ``The only source of income for CIDCO is a development levy. If that is how they intend to obtain funds from the mainly middle class people who come to reside here, then it is impossible that the plan will ever materialise,'' he adds. He charges that local municipal bodies were not consulted when the plans were being drafted. With CIDCO being unable to givethem copies, confusion reigns on the actual contents of the plan. Tendulkar believes that there is a scheme for shifting the railway station and constructing another in its place. But CIDCO denies this. ``We have seen that it has failed in Navi Mumbai which is why we have not incorporated such a project in the plan,'' said a plan architect. Officials added that they are expecting a government grant for the sewerage and the water supply scheme.

Tendulkar says he will take a delegation to the chief minister against the plan, and the townplanners are counting on the urban development department to back them. With UD principal secretary K Nalinakshan announcing that it would take a decision on acceptance of the draft as a final plan within 15 days, all eyes are turned towards the state government.