JUDGEMENT
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(1.)Leave granted in SLP(C) Nos. 19687, 20512, 20666, 20753 of 2000 and 4606 and 21825 of 2001.
(2.)In these appeals by grant of special leave the judgment of High Court of Bombay, Auranga-bad Bench in Writ Petition No. 2338 of 1999 is under challenge. A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the High Court challenging the procedure adopted by the City and Industrial Development Corporation (hereinafter referred to as CIDCO) for disposal of the land by bulk sale. CIDCO is a company registered under the Companies Act and is a Government company under Section 617 of the Companies Act. The Government of Maharashtra incorporated the aforesaid company with several objectives and the main objectives being:
(a) To develop land for residential, commercial and allied industrial activities and to provide the required physical infrastructure, such as roads, drainage, water supply, sewerage, street lights and landscaping etc.
(b) To build as many houses and community centers, shopping centers, parks, play grounds, bus stations, etc. to meet the day to day needs of the population, as well as for a fast take up of new growth areas and also to make available and develop the plots at affordable prices, so as to construct residential dwellings for self occupation.
(c) To promote growth of commercial wholesale market activities, warehousing transport, office and other activities in order to evolve expeditiously a sound economic base for self sustained growth and achieve, at the same time a process of relieving congestion in the cities like Bombay as well as the fast developing cities in other parts of Maharashtra and
(d) While doing so, to maintain ecological balance and ensure that environmental degradation is not allowed.
(3.)The CIDCO was declared as special planning authority for Aurangabad notified area under sub-section 3(A) of Section 113 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. The State of Maharashtra aquired huge land for CIDCO in villages Mukundwadi, Garkheda, Harsul, Hatesing-pura, Jaswantsingpura, Bayaji-pura, Jadhavwadi, Murtizapur, Mastanpur etc. which are all located in the outskirts of Aurangabad Municipal limits.