Politicians dig their heels in, refuse to surrender public plots

A clause in the policy states that the BMC will take back existing RGs and PGs from private parties after paying the latter 50 percent of the cost invested by them on constructions and other amenities erected on the plots after deducting depreciation. However, politicians are opposing this tooth and nail

Mumbai: The BMC has reached an impasse with the new draft adoption policy on open spaces, as some politicians who have various recreation grounds (RGs) and playgrounds (PGs) under their control have refused to surrender them.

Mumbai, India - Sept. 20, 2023: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Kridangan, Poisar Gymkhana at Kandivali West in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

A clause in the policy states that the BMC will take back existing RGs and PGs from private parties after paying the latter 50 percent of the cost invested by them on constructions and other amenities erected on the plots after deducting depreciation. However, politicians are opposing this tooth and nail.

A prominent BJP MP, Gopal Shetty, manages the 12-acre Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Kridangan, a PG plot in Kandivali West, as well as a seven-acre garden plot, the Swatantra Veer Savarkar Udyan, in Borivali West. Both plots are managed by Poisar Gymkhana constructed by Shetty.

“The BMC is willing to give only 50 percent of the expenses incurred on amenities,” said Shetty. “How can one agree to this clause and how can we surrender the plots just like that? The total expenses incurred are in crores. Poisar Gymkhana is 12 acres and Swatantra Veer Savarkar is a seven-acre plot. If the BMC develops a one-acre plot, it will have to spend ₹5crore.”

Shetty claimed that club membership fees in Poisar Gymkhana and Swatantra Veer Savarkar Udyan were only ₹5,000, ₹10,000 and ₹12,000. “I wanted common citizens to access club memberships,” he said. “There were protests later by citizens who didn’t want to pay the two-rupee entry fee for facilities like good music, a jogging track, bottled, filtered water to drink and toilets for free. We wanted to build a swimming pool and a gymnasium to provide more facilities but the BMC and state government issued a stay. This went on for 15 to 20 years. And now the BMC wants to bring in a new policy.”

Citing his objections, Shetty said that according to the Development Control Planning Rules, 2034, wherever there are slum encroachments on gardens and RG/PG plots, the owner can utilise 30 percent FSI for construction and hand over 70 percent to the BMC. “This is a good clause. But the lapse here is that on open plots belonging to the BMC, one cannot construct anything. One can just construct a chowki and a toilet,” he said.

Shetty’s most specious argument was that disallowing construction of indoor amenities on open space plots went against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Khelo India concept. “If indoor facilities are not given on BMC plots, how will it work?” he demanded. “No reading rooms, no gymnasiums are allowed. I suggest the earlier policy, where construction is allowed on 30 percent of the plot, be allowed so that all facilities can be provided. If the poor are not given sports facilities, how will we produce sportsmen? Hence, I oppose this policy.”

The BMC’s compensation clause states that while deriving the current capital value of a plot, facilities created from the funds of the BMC, MLA Local Development Fund, MP Local Development Fund, District Planning Board or any other government systems will not be considered. Shetty reportedly used his MLA funds decades ago to develop the plots.

Apart from Shetty’s plots, many other open spaces have been cornered by politicians. Shyam Narayan Singh Thakur Manoranjan maidan, an RG plot, and a PG plot near Shyam Narayan school in Kandivali East are managed by a former Congress MLA, now with the BJP. The Matoshri Meenatai Thackeray maidan in Jogeshwari is managed by a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA. This plot recently courted controversy for irregularities and the matter is under litigation.

Hindustan Times has been reporting since June 51 on public plots being in private control, some of them given on a caretaker basis to politicians who run clubs and are allegedly commercially exploiting them. HT has also been reporting how activists are demanding that these RG/PG plots under private control be taken back by the BMC.