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Pay-and-park facility on recreation ground plot at Kamala Mills razed

BMC demolishes unauthorized pay-and-park at Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel, converting recreation ground into garden as per law.

Updated on: Mar 8, 2024, 08:34:14 IST
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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has demolished an unauthorised pay-and-park facility, which was mostly used by high-end restaurants at Kamala Mills Compound in Lower Parel, civic officials said and added the parking lot was on a recreation ground plot meant for a garden.

HT Image
HT Image

Advocate Abha Singh, who has her office in Trade World D wing building in Kamala Mills layout, had complained to the civic body about the misuse of the plot.

“The complainant is directly affected as she owns a premises i.e. a ‘flat’ in the layout, and the recreation ground as shown in the approved plan, has to be provided as per the law so that there is a garden available for recreation and good health,” the BMC said in a statement.

The statement further said the plot measures 3,718.77square metres and has been shown as a recreation ground in the approved plan. “This plot has been illegally converted into a pay-and-park lot and further some structures have come up which are not approved in the development plan.”

Rajesh Chavan, designated officer, G south ward, confirmed that the recreation ground plot was being illegally utilised for parking and generators too were installed which were removed with the help of the NM Joshi Marg police on Monday.

“As per the Development Control Regulations and a Supreme Court order, a dedicated space must be kept as a garden on the ground level which must be planted with trees. Every occupant of a layout has got a legal right to claim that gardens exist the way it is prescribed. In this case, it was seen that the garden space was converted into a pay-and-park, mainly used by the high-end restaurants which operate in that area,” Singh said. “I am happy that the BMC has demolished concrete in a small part of the area and will deploy a bigger excavator to remove the entire concrete and to convert the space into a garden.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Raghunath Baliga

Leena Raghunath Baliga (byline: Linah Baliga) is Associate Editor with nearly two decades of experience in journalism,and has earlier worked with TOI, DNA and Mumbai Mirror specialising in civic affairs, urban governance and political reporting. Based in Mumbai, she has looked into the functioning of civic administration, public policy and governance, with a particular focus on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), urban infrastructure, housing, redevelopment and city planning. Over the years, she has consistently reported on issues that directly impact citizens, including municipal administration, public health, BEST, environmental concerns, major infrastructure projects and state government policies affecting urban development. Her reporting combines on-ground reporting, making complex civic and governance issues accessible to readers while ensuring accountability in civic administration. She has extensively covered political developments that shape urban policy. Her work has also focused on redevelopment policies, affordable housing and the implementation of major infrastructure projects across Mumbai.She continues to chronicle the evolving and changing landscape of Asia's richest municipal corporation. When she isn't chasing stories or poring over civic documents, she enjoys dabbling in art and unwinding with music. An avid rock 'n' roll enthusiast, she has an anachronistic taste in music, with a playlist that happily skips across decades, filled with timeless classics.

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