Racecourse not up for commercial use: Kesarkar

A day after Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray censured the ruling government for its plan to shift the racecourse from Mahalaxmi to Mulund, only so that the prime open space could be used for commercial purposes, city’s guardian minister and leader of the Balsahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS), Deepak Kesarkar, was ready with a retort: “A few immature people are politicising the issue.”

Mumbai: A day after Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray censured the ruling government for its plan to shift the racecourse from Mahalaxmi to Mulund, only so that the prime open space could be used for commercial purposes, city’s guardian minister and leader of the Balsahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS), Deepak Kesarkar, was ready with a retort: “A few immature people are politicising the issue.”

Mumbai, India - February 4, 2018: Spectators watch Indian derby 2018 at Mahalaxmi racecourse in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, February 4, 2018. (Photo by Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times) (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

On Tuesday, Kesarkar said, “No final decision has been taken on the issue of shifting the racecourse. However, Mumbai is short of open spaces, so when such a decision is taken, racecourse may continue to have a recreational area for common people but not at the cost of racing.” He criticised Thackeray’s claim that the present government was looking to “hand over the open spaces like the racecourse and Worli dairy to builders”.

On Monday, juxtaposing the intent of the earlier government’s plan with the present one, Thackeray had tweeted: “Khokhe sarkar now has plans to sell the racecourse land along with Worli Dairy. Uddhav Thackeray proposed a Hyde Park-like venue for Mumbaikars at the racecourse. Everyone can walk there for free and have access to a green space. We hear that the government wants to give this space up for commercial interests but we will not allow it.”

Recently, a senior officer from the state urban development (UD) department had said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in an informal interaction had informed them that it will soon send a proposal to the state government to shift the racecourse from Mahalaxmi to the now-defunct wasteyard in Mulund. “We have yet to receive an official proposal or communication from the civic body,” the officer from UD, had said. “Any decision on the move will be taken only after that.”

The Mahalaxmi land is jointly owned by the state government and BMC. Should the move take place, the civic body has envisioned a theme park on the prime SoBo land.

Social media has been abuzz with citizens’ reactions critiquing the plan to move the racecourse to the distant suburb – some said it was all still up in the air, while others from the suburb warmed up to the possibility of their properties’ equity getting enhanced. Members of the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC), who are closely associated with horseracing, however said the proposal was simply a political stunt to woo the voters ahead of the municipal council elections.