Navi Mumbai, Feb. 14 -- Forest minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ganesh Naik on Thursday bypassed standard administrative hierarchy and decreed that in Navi Mumbai, no redevelopment project or demolition - even of officially dangerous buildings - can proceed without his explicit consent. Addressing citizens and top officials including Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) commissioner Kailas Shinde at a charged Janta Darbar (grievance redressal meeting) at Vashi's Vishnudas Bhave Auditorium, the forest minister alleged that plots reserved for public amenities in prime locations were being handed over to private builders by certain officials who were manipulating rules for personal gain. "I am ashamed to be in a cabinet where urban development personnel commit such acts," Naik said, mounting an indirect attack on Shiv Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who holds charge of the urban development department. "I have no use of being a minister if I cannot speak for the people." Earlier this week, while meeting the newly elected mayor and corporators of the NMMC, Naik had announced a complete audit of the six-year administrative rule at the NMMC preceding the civic poll. This was after former BJP corporators alleged that projects of their Shiv Sena counterparts had been hastily approved during administrative rule under the urban development department's influence. Naik's directive on the audit came close on the heels of short-lived bonhomie between the BJP and the Shiv Sena during the mayoral poll, when the Sena withdrew its candidates at the last minute, leaving the mayor and deputy mayor posts for the BJP. His latest salvo puts the safety of those residing in old buildings earmarked for demolition at risk, officials said. Older CIDCO nodes like Vashi, Airoli, Koparkhairane, and Ghansoli have many such buildings and the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) - which govern land use, construction, and development permissions across the state - had unblocked these stalled projects. "Now, with Naik's decree, negotiations between builders and old housing societies will come to a halt, placing residents' life in limbo," an official said, requesting anonymity. Another official said bypassing civic hierarchy to unilaterally freeze municipal approvals was highly irregular and could trigger administrative paralysis. "Fearing political retaliation, bureaucrats will now sit on pending CC files rather than process them," the official asid. Tensions at Naik's Janata Darbar on Thursday peaked when some audience members flagged commencement certificates for redevelopment projects issued by the NMMC town planning department. Naik has been strongly critical of the UDCPR and alleged irregularities in ongoing redevelopment projects in Navi Mumbai on several occasions in the past. "Some wretched officials are interpreting provisions in a way that only benefits them," an infuriated Naik said from the dais. The minister inquired about assistant director of town planning Somnath Kekan, and upon being told that he was not present, said, "I do not even wish to see his face." Naik instructed city engineer Shirish Aradwad to warn Kekan of strict action if the commencement certificate was not withdrawn immediately, besides issuing a blanket ban on new CCs. Top CIDCO officials too were at the receiving end of Naik's tirade. Speaking with CIDCO joint managing director Ganesh Deshmukh on the phone, he reprimanded the agency for deputing junior officers for his janata darbar. "Prime amenity plots are being diverted to private builders. I will urge chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure CIDCO returns these plots to the NMMC," he said. Naik's latest decree drew sharp reactions from the rival Shiv Sena camp. Kishore Patkar, Shiv Sena district chief and former corporator, defended the state's UDCPR, saying it had made buying a home in Navi Mumbai unaffordable for the common man, besides ensuring safe rehabilitation for those living in buildings earmarked for demolition. "Decisions must be taken based on safety and planning norms, not political disputes," Patkar stressed. "If political obstacles are created, the redevelopment dreams of thousands will remain up in the air. People living in dangerous buildings cannot be kept waiting indefinitely." Political analysts said that while auditing past civic projects was standard, Naik's sudden freeze on approvals shifts the focus away from urban safety, effectively holding the city's redevelopment hostage to an impending power struggle over the municipality. The Shiv Sena has already filed a Public Interest Litigation in the high court challenging Naik's jurisdiction to hold official grievance meetings and intervene in the administration....