17-Acre Ghat Land 'Vanishes': Borkar Flags Smart City Role, Seeks Probe Nagpur: Ruling party leader Narendra Borkar accused the Nagpur Smart City administration of drastically reducing the land reserved for a cremation ghat, claiming that nearly 17-17.5 acres of land earmarked in the city’s Development Plan (DP) were reduced to just 1.5-2 acres. Addressing a press conference, Borkar highlighted the severe congestion at the Pardi ghat, a site used by residents of areas such as Pardi, Bhandewadi, Punapur, and Bharatwada, which has become a bottleneck during peak times for last rites. "If four people arrive at once, two have to wait. This is the condition of a facility that sees lakhs during peak rituals," he said, emphasizing the growing strain on the site. Borkar alleged that the original DP had reserved 35 acres for ghat development, with 17.5 acres specifically allocated for the Pardi ghat. However, under the Smart City regime, the reservation was reportedly altered without clear documentation. He criticized officials for being unaware whether the DP reservation still existed, raising questions about the legitimacy of the changes. "How was the land 'handed over'? Were private interests involved? Who gave away the land? Under whose orders was the reservation cancelled?" Borkar demanded, noting that even senior officials failed to provide satisfactory answers. The issue was reportedly raised in a meeting chaired by Mayor Neeta Thakre, attended by East Nagpur MLA Krishna Khopde and standing committee chairperson Shivani Dani. During the meeting, directions were issued to explore legal options to reclaim the land and expand the ghat. Borkar also indicated that legal recourse, including appointing a lawyer, was being considered.#krishna_khopde #neeta_thakre #narendra_borkar #nagpur_smart_city #pardi_ghat
