Nagpur: The general body, chaired by Mayor Neeta Thakre, on Thursday passed two key proposals related to land transfer for Metro and redevelopment of major city markets, marking the first major decisions by the elected body after nearly four years of administrator rule.The House approved a proposal to grant six civic-owned plots to MahaMetro on a freehold basis. The value of land and properties transferred for the Metro project, amounting to Rs75 crore, will be adjusted against NMC’s 5% financial contribution to the project.The proposal seeks to formalise ownership of six NMC properties already handed over for Nagpur Metro project. State govt had in April 2025 approved granting freehold rights to MahaMetro over NMC land transferred in advance under Section 450(A) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act.Officials said NMC had earlier transferred eight properties for Phase-I of the Metro project. As per the current proposal, Rs70 crore towards valuation of those properties, Rs93 lakh for land at Telephone Exchange Square used for parking and Rs4 crore for 489 sq m of NMC-owned land will be adjusted, taking the total to around Rs75 crore.The plots include land at Somalwada, Indira Gandhi Hospital in Ambazari and Tulsi Hindi Primary School in Sitabuldi, among others. Land at Orange Market, Sitabuldi, and near Mahatma Phule Market has been excluded as MahaMetro informed that the project would now be implemented by MSIDC. However, leader of opposition and Congress corporator Sanjay Mahakalkar opposed the move and suggested that NMC should develop these markets on its own.In another significant decision, the general body reviewed and approved resolutions and an MoU signed with Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC) during the administrator rule for redevelopment of key markets.The MoU, passed in January 2024, February 2024 and February 2026, proposes redevelopment of Dahi Bazaar cluster, Dik Hospital premises, Cotton Market, Santra Market and Netaji Market under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Share/Sale (DBFOS) public-private partnership model. An addendum also included Kamal Chowk market.A fresh proposal seeking to extend the framework to Yeshwant Stadium, Sakkardara Budhwar Bazaar, Itwari Sarafa Market and Maskasath Market was also approved.Under the agreement, projects on NMC land will be on the DBFOS model, while state or other authority land allotted to NMC can be leased for 30 years, extendable twice. MSIDC’s project management fee was increased from 4.5% to 5%. A high-power committee will decide premium, revenue share and royalty, with rehabilitation assured for existing shopkeepers.
