Cidco MD to take over as MPT chief

After months of suspense, vice- chairman and managing director of City and Industrial Development Corporation ( Cidco) Sanjay Bhatia is all set for his new posting.

Bhatia has been appointed as the chairman of Mumbai Port Trust (MPT).

Bhatia told HT: “I had completed three years and as per state government norms the transfer would have happened. The central government has now picked me up.”

Bhatia was posted at Cidco three years ago, by the then chief minister Prithviraj Chavan primarily to ensure that the muchdelayed airport project was on track. He was backed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis as well.

Bhatia, who got a team he wanted, including joint managing director V Radha ensured that the airport project is ready to take off.

He said: “I am glad that in my three- year tenure I could put in place systems in Cidco, the airport project is on track with all the clearances and the land acquisition has been done.”

All the important permissions, including environmentrelated, have come through. The complex land acquisition too was sorted out with attractive packages to the project-affected whose confidence Cidco managed to win.

He also worked hard to improve Cidco’s image that had over the years been marred by allegations of corruption, by bringing in transparency and accountability through computerization.

Bhatia, however, ruffled quite a few feathers by taking serious action against violations in allotments of land and also reviewed the 12.5% plot allotments through Radha which delayed the release of land to the developers’ lobby through the PAP.

He also was reportedly taking decision on some major plot allotments to big corporate houses where the terms of the agreement had been violated.

Bhatia was selected as the MPT chairman by the central government after he applied for the central government post and appeared for interview. The selection order notification was issued on Monday evening.

Though his transfer orders are ready, it has not yet been issued.

Bhatia said, “It was a very happy experience, very creative experience in Navi Mumbai. I got a lot of help from all the citizens and the media and that is why we were able to achieve so much.”

Sources said chief executive officer (CEO) of MIDC Bhushan Gagrani is the frontrunner for the Cidco MD post.