Aaditya Thackeray expands campaign to protect open spaces in city, plans protest march

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has widened his campaign against the allotment of 16 acres of public land to an educational trust led by BJP MLC Amrish Patel, directing party corporators to monitor open spaces across Mumbai for similar proposals and announcing plans for a protest march on the issue

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has widened his campaign against the allotment of 16 acres of public land to an educational trust led by BJP MLC Amrish Patel, directing party corporators to monitor open spaces across Mumbai for similar proposals and announcing plans for a protest march on the issue.

Days after writing to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking cancellation of the allotment, Thackeray on Thursday evening convened a meeting of Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators at Shiv Sena Bhavan to discuss what the party described as the larger issue of protecting Mumbai’s playgrounds, gardens and public open spaces. The meeting also reviewed what the party termed wasteful expenditure by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), including the proposed renovation of the Mayor’s bungalow at Byculla.

According to party leaders present at the meeting, Thackeray briefed corporators on the transfer of 16 acres of public land to the Shree Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal (SVKM), alleging that the move had effectively denied citizens access to spaces that were earlier open to the public. He expressed anger over what he said was the trust’s decision to prohibit public entry, replacing the earlier arrangement under which citizens were allowed access for four hours in the morning and four hours in the evening.

During the meeting, corporators flagged what they claimed were similar instances in their wards. A corporator from the eastern suburbs referred to a letter by a BJP leader in Mulund regarding the transfer of an open space for a petrol pump near the Mulund highway, while others cited cases from their respective areas.

Following the discussion, Thackeray directed all party corporators to closely monitor playgrounds, gardens and open spaces in their wards and immediately report any proposal to hand them over to private entities or organisations. He also instructed Shiv Sena (UBT) members on the BMC’s Improvement Committee to keep a close watch on such proposals and alert the party whenever they come up for consideration.

The party now plans to take up the issue across Mumbai, with Thackeray expected to lead a protest march in the coming days demanding protection of public open spaces.

On Wednesday, Thackeray had written to CM Fadnavis urging him to cancel the allotment of the 16 acres to SVKM. In his letter, he sought cancellation of the No-Objection Certificates granted for the three public open spaces, arguing that they should remain protected as public spaces with unrestricted public access in the larger public interest.