On October 14, 1998, the director (engineering services & projects) recommended to the corporation the dereserving of the 162-sq mtre plot bearing `CS Number 207' near Colaba market. The plot (currently worth Rs 38.95 lakh) is part of the larger reservation of land for the school.

In his recommendation letter, the director had reasoned: ``It may not be possible to provide alternate accommodation to the six affected tenants already residing on the plot.'' He calculated the total cost for acquisition of the plot to be Rs 73.89 lakh. The last date for initiating acquisition proceedings by applying tothe state government was December 18, 1998.

But Congress corporator Annie Shekhar recently complained to the Mayor, saying: ``There's already an acute shortage of municipal schools in `A' ward, and I have written to the Municipal Commissioner asking for extra FSI for civic schools. By letting go of such a plot, BMC will wreak havoc on the people of Colaba.''

She gave the example of the two existing civic schools in Bora Bazaar and N A Sawant Marg, where, at times, six students have to sit on one bench.

The BMC's Improvements Committee rejected the director's letter following protests from Shekhar and Dhulla, who's a member of the committee.

Dhulla, a corporator from Fort area, had earlier said there appeared to be a nexus between the administration and the plot owners. ``If BMC finds it so difficult to accommodate just six tenants staying on the plot, how will they later adjust the remaining 141 residential and 36 commercial tenants in the remaining part of the reserved land in Colaba?'' sheasked.

The chairman of the Improvements Committee, Digambar Kandarkar, could not be contacted for comment.