Land Grab. And how to make millions

The politician-builder nexus in Maharashtra has plundered away prime land. Can Prithviraj Chavan break the vice-like grip the realtors have over the state? A few days after Prithviraj Chavan was inaugurated as Maharashtra chief minister last November, an over-ambitious Congress MP from Mumbai rang up the chief minister’s office and sought an appointment. A few hours later, the MP, who everybody knew was constructing a slum rehabilitation project in Andheri besides many small real estate projects that he had set up in the name of his brother, received a call from the CM’s office confirming the appointment.  But there was a caveat. “Sahab has asked me to ensure that you are coming alone. So please don’t bring anybody along,” said the new CM’s personal secretary. The MP got the message. Builders and real estate developers were persona non grata with the new CM.

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